Pyongyang denounced UN SG's criticism of satellite launch

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Jun 2023 18:25

Director General of the DPRK's Foreign ministry's Department of International Organizations describes the UN's condemnation of the DPRK's satellite launch as biased and unjust.

This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says a launch of the newly developed Chollima-1 rocket carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground Wednesday, May 31, 2023 (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

In a statement reported by the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry denounced Antonionio Guterres for bias and double-standardness over his statement condemning the latter's satellite launch.

"I strongly protest against the 'statement' issued by the UN secretary-general denouncing the DPRK's [North Korea's] launch of military reconnaissance satellite and resolutely condemn and reject his improper behavior of encroaching upon the legitimate sovereign right of a member state of the UN as an extremely unfair and unbalanced act of interfering in its internal affairs," Director General of the DPRK's Foreign Ministry's Department Jo Chol said.

Jo called on Guterres to give a good explanation as to why the DPRK would be singled out from the other 193 member states to be condemned for their satellite launch: pointing out that this action clashes with the UN's key principles of non-interference and respect for sovereignty.

"In case the UN secretary-general has his own convincing ground or reason, separately from the non-commonsensible and far-fetched assertion of the U.S. and its followers that the DPRK's satellite launch is contrary to the 'resolutions' of the UN Security Council because it uses ballistic missile technology, I am ready to patiently listen to what he says. But in view of the unbalanced and prejudiced stand and attitude Secretary-General has shown so far ... I never expect that he would make an answer to satisfy the questions," Jo Chol added.

The satellite which was unsuccessfully launched by the DPRK earlier this week was necessary for maintaining the DPRK's security against potential military threats, the official explained, noting that Security Council resolutions sanctioning the DPRK's right to space-exploration are a result of the anti-Korean policies of the US and their allies.

"The DPRK will continue to proudly exercise its sovereignty including the launch of military reconnaissance satellite to prove that the UN is not a monopoly of the U.S. and the U.S. high-handed and arbitrary practices and unilateralism can never work on the world."

Earlier this week it was reported that a military reconnaissance satellite is due for launch next month to monitor US military activities and its regional allies in real-time.

This arrives in light of recent US military exercises with regional allies South Korea and Japan on the Korean Peninsula, which the North perceives as rehearsals for an invasion of its territory. Last week, the US and South Korean armies began live-fire exercises simulating an alleged "full-scale attack" from North Korea as part of their war games.

Vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the North's ruling Workers' Party, Ri Pyong Chol, released a statement declaring that the "military reconnaissance satellite No. 1" will be "launched in June," as cited by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in its report on Tuesday.

That satellite, along with "various reconnaissance means due to be newly tested, are indispensable to tracking, monitoring...and coping in advance [and] in real-time with the dangerous military acts of the US and its vassal forces," the statement said.