It has been seven years since the DPRK launched its first earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong 4 on February 7 2016.

It was thanks to the wise leadership of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un that the country succeeded in launching the earth observation satellite four years after the successful launching of its first application satellite Kwangmyongsong 3-2 in 2012.

In mid-January 2016 he repeatedly visited the spaceport despite the winter cold to give guidance over the preparations for launching the satellite all day long. And he sent his masterly autographic characters Kwangmyongsong to be inscribed on the satellite and showed warm affection to the space scientists and technicians who were assembling the satellite.

Later, too, he frequented the place to encourage them while giving guidance over the erecting of the carrier rocket in the biting cold.

Thus the earth observation satellite was successfully launched.

A solar synchronous polar orbit satellite, Kwangmyongsong 4 was launched in the biting cold of winter, a weather condition under which a successful satellite launch is regarded as difficult, without affecting neighbouring countries.

The DPRK made and launched it with local intelligence, technology and effort 100 percent.

Today the Korean scientists work hard to develop space science and technology in order to carry out the tasks advanced by the Eighth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea and the plenary meetings of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK.

Space sci-tech workshops, exhibitions and space sci-tech exchange activities are briskly conducted and academic and social interest in space development is growing.

Last year the presentation of space science and technology-2022 was held on the theme of “Space exploration and enhancement of national prestige”. There were heated debates in the presentation on significant issues arising in the development and application of artificial earth satellites, including manufacture and test technology of satellite devices, satellite navigation, composition and attitude control technology, development technology of satellite camera, satellite communications and observation technology and space environment and basic science and technology.

The Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK, which advanced tasks for this year, pointed out that the National Aerospace Development Administration would launch the first military satellite of the DPRK at the earliest date possible by pushing ahead with the full preparation for a reconnaissance satellite and its vehicle in progress at the final stage.

Through rounds of major tests, important technical indices have been fixed, including the operating characteristics of high-resolution cameras, the reliability of the image data transmission system, camera operating technology and data processing and transmission capacity of communications devices in the space environment and the tracking and tuning accuracy of the ground control system, and other tests have also been made successfully according to sections and systems.

The DPRK's space exploration continues.