North Korea's KCNA news agency on December 2 quoted a statement by a North Korean Defense Ministry spokesman, saying Pyongyang will respond to any US interference in space by disabling US spy satellites.
"In case the US tries to infringe upon the legitimate territory of a sovereign state by illegally and unjustly weaponizing the latest technologies, the DPRK will consider taking counter-actions of self-defense to weaken or destroy the viability of the US spy satellites," the statement said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits a space facility in Pyongyang recently
The announcement came after South Korea successfully launched its first military spy satellite on December 1. The satellite was launched into Earth orbit from a space facility in the US state of California using a Falcon 9 rocket manufactured by billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX company.
The launch comes a week after North Korea announced it had successfully launched its first spy satellite on November 21, following two failed launches this year. Days later, Pyongyang revealed the satellite had transmitted images of military facilities on the US mainland, Japan and the US territory of Guam in the Western Pacific.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issues new directive; US imposes additional sanctions
Asked whether Washington has the ability to disrupt North Korean satellite reconnaissance activities, a spokesman for the US Space Command said the US can disrupt an adversary's space capabilities through a variety of means.
Seoul on December 1 blacklisted 11 North Koreans for their involvement in the country's satellite and ballistic missile development, banning them from financial transactions.
The South Korean government also plans to launch up to four more satellites into space by 2025, as part of a deal reached with SpaceX last year.
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