Anchor: North Korea's top-ranking military official formally announced the regime's planned launch of its first military spy satellite. The official emphasized that the launch of the satellite is designed to track down and monitor the military activities of the U.S. and its allies.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: Vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's Central Military Commission Ri Pyong-chol announced plans to launch the regime's first military spy satellite next month.

In a statement carried by the North's state-run media on Tuesday, Ri said the satellite and other means of reconnaissance will track down, observe, distinguish and deter the dangerous military acts of the U.S. and its followers in real time.

Stressing that such moves are indispensable to the reinforcement of the regime's military readiness, he said the U.S.’ operational reconnaissance radius and surveillance on or near the Korean Peninsula have become serious threats to the North and other countries in the region.

The North's number two military official said his country plans to implement activities aimed at strengthening a comprehensive and practical war deterrence, pledging to responsibly carry out the grave mission of defending the regime’s sovereign right and national security.

On Monday, Pyongyang notified Japan, the regional navigation area coordinator for the International Maritime Organization(IMO), of its plans to launch the satellite between 12 a.m. on Wednesday and 12 a.m. on June 11.

Seoul's foreign ministry has warned that the regime will pay the price and suffer the consequences should it push ahead with the launch using its ballistic missile technology, which is a violation of United Nations Security Council(UNSC) resolutions.

Tokyo, for its part, is expected to intercept the projectile should the satellite itself or debris fall within its territory, while Washington urged Pyongyang to exercise restraint and Beijing called for dialogue.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.