Kim Yo-jong says spy satellite will be 'correctly' put into orbit

Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Pyongyang will "correctly" place a spy satellite into orbit soon, North Korea's state media said Thursday, a day after North's failed satellite launch.

Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister and vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, speaks during a party meeting on Aug. 11, 2022. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Pyongyang will "correctly" place a spy satellite into orbit soon, North Korea's state media said Thursday, a day after North's failed satellite launch.

Kim Yo-jong also slammed the United States for denouncing the North's botched launch Wednesday of what it claimed to be a space launch vehicle, according to a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"If the DPRK's satellite launch should be particularly censured, the United States and all other countries, which have already launched thousands of satellites, should be denounced," she said. "It is certain that the DPRK's military reconnaissance satellite will be correctly put in space orbit in the near future and start its mission."

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"We confirmed once again that the enemies are most afraid of the DPRK's access to excellent reconnaissance and information means including reconnaissance satellite and, accordingly, we are aware that we should direct greater efforts to developing reconnaissance mean," she added.

Kim, who serves as the vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, also called the UN Security Council's resolutions that ban Pyongyang's use of ballistic technology "gangster-like" and "wrong" for violating the North's rights to use space.

Meanwhile, she reiterated that North Korea is not interested in talks with the United States, citing Washington's "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang.

"We have no content of dialogue and do not feel the necessity of dialogue with the United States and its stooges [···] we will continue our-style way of counteraction in a more offensive attitude so that they should not but realize that they will have nothing to benefit from the extension of the hostile policy toward the DPRK," she said.

On Wednesday, North Korea fired the rocket southward, but it fell into the Yellow Sea after an "abnormal" flight, according to Seoul's military.

The latest launch drew immediate condemnation from South Korea, the United States and Japan.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO, YONHAP [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]