NEW YORK: In a rare appearance at the UN Security Council, North Korea’s ambassador, Kim Song, staunchly defended the recent launch of a spy satellite, even as Western powers, Japan, and South Korea raised concerns over potential violations of Security Council resolutions.
The totalitarian state claims that the satellite has already captured detailed images, including those of major US and South Korean military sites, as well as iconic locations like the White House and Pentagon.
On Monday, the state-run KCNA news agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reviewed images “in detail” of the White House and the Pentagon.
The report also mentioned the identification of aircraft carriers at a military base and shipyard in Virginia. At the Security Council, Ambassador Kim Song argued that North Korea faced a unique security environment, emphasizing the threat posed by the United States, which he claimed was “threatening us with a nuclear weapon.”
Ambassador Kim mocked US allegations that satellite technology contributed to North Korea’s missile capabilities, questioning whether the United States used a “catapult” to launch satellites. In response, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield rejected North Korea’s self-defence justification, emphasizing the routine and defensive nature of joint US-South Korean exercises.
South Korea’s spy agency suggested Russian assistance to North Korea in the satellite launch, following a summit between Kim Jong Un and President Vladimir Putin. The United States previously reported that North Korea had delivered military equipment and munitions to Russia. Russia and China, North Korea’s main ally, proposed a resolution to ease sanctions on Pyongyang, a move opposed by the United States.
Chinese envoy Geng Shuang accused the United States of exacerbating tension through its military alliance with South Korea. He highlighted the need to address North Korea’s security concerns for a potential breakthrough in dialogue and warned against a vicious cycle of aggressive moves on the Korean Peninsula.
