North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly said that the possession of a spy satellite is the exercise of the country’s right to self-defense.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said on Friday that Kim made the remarks the previous day during his visit to the National Aerospace Technology Administration(NATA) as he encouraged engineers and scientists who contributed to Tuesday's launch of a military spy satellite.

Lauding the successful launch of the satellite as an eye-opening event, Kim reportedly touted the deployment of the reconnaissance satellite constantly monitoring the moves of the hostile forces.

Kim appears to have made the visit with his daughter as the KCNA said Kim arrived at the NATA with his “beloved child.”

North Korea said it fired the Malligyong-1 satellite on a Chollima-1 rocket from the Sohae satellite launching site in North Pyongan Province Tuesday night, claiming that the rocket successfully put the satellite into orbit.

[Photo : YONHAP News]