Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, inspected the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) on April 18.

He was accompanied by Pak Thae Song, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Jong Sik, deputy department director of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Sung Chan, president of Kim Il Sung University and minister of Higher Education under the Education Commission, Pak Ji Min, president of Kim Chaek University of Technology, senior officials of educational and scientific research institutions, technicians and experts in the field of IT communication sci-tech studies and commanding officers of the technical reconnaissance department of the General Reconnaissance Bureau of the Korean People's Army.

He was greeted by leading officials of the NADA and the Academy of Defence Science on the spot.

Going round the space science research institute, the space environment test centre and other places, he learned in detail about the work for fulfilling the immediate scientific research tasks set forth by the Party's far-reaching space-conquering policy on the long-term development of the country's space industry, and about the recent progress achieved by the field of space science research in the development of core technologies and production.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un highly praised the noteworthy achievements made by the NADA in the core space sci-tech studies to attain the immediate and long-term objectives of the space policy set forth at the Eighth Congress of the WPK and the fifth and sixth plenary meetings of the Eighth WPK Central Committee.

Noting that the development of space industry is of very important significance in building a socialist economic power whose development is propelled and guaranteed by science and technology, he set forth the important tasks to be fulfilled to radically develop space science and technology.

The growth of the space industry is a key element in the exploration of a shortcut to securing the position of a world-class economic and sci-tech power and a demonstration of the overall national power, he said, adding that it is necessary to build a full-fledged space industry capable of dynamically steering the economic development of the country by constantly spurring the independent space development.

He noted that it is the steadfast stand of the WPK and the DPRK government to fulfil on a priority basis the advanced and valuable space development plans in the light of the strategic interests of the country in the present-stage efforts for achieving accelerated space development, steadily expand the successes and finally turn the country into a world space power.

He underscored the need to set it as a main thrust to possess weather and earth observation and communication satellites, in particular, to get thoroughly prepared for the disastrous weather, effectively protect and use the resources of the country, and immediately provide the possibilities for giving strong impetus to the scientific development of the national economy.

He also pointed to the necessity to establish a system of making educational and scientific research units at all levels actively participate in the development of application satellites of various uses, increase state investment for promoting the development of space science and technology, produce standardized and reliable carrier rockets on a full scale in step with the accelerated development of various satellites, and successfully build satellite launching sites reflecting the ideal and ambition for building a space power.

He recalled that in the light of the present situation, in which the US imperialists are deploying nuclear carriers, nuclear strategic bombers and other huge strategic assets of various missions on a permanent basis on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity to turn south Korea into an advanced base for aggression and an arsenal for war, and of the prospective concern that the military actions of the US and south Korea threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DPRK under the pretext of the allied readiness would get more undisguised, the Eighth Congress of the WPK specified it as the most important and prerequisite task for building up the national defence capabilities of the country to have access to the space reconnaissance capability for securing real-time information about the hostile forces' military scenario and moves in the five-point major goals for developing the national defence capabilities.

Referring once again to the role and the strategic value and significance of possessing the military reconnaissance satellite in bolstering up the self-defensive military capabilities for defending the security environment and territorial integrity of the state, the safety and development interests of the people from the escalating military threat and challenge of the US and south Korea, and for using the preemptive military power according to situation, he said that possession of such satellite is a primary task to be indispensably fulfilled to bolster up the armed forces of the DPRK that can never be abandoned, missed and changed, and belongs to its sovereignty and legitimate right to self-defence in view of the requirements of the recent security environment on the Korean peninsula and tackling of the long-term threats.

As the US and south Korea are scheming to further tighten their military posture against the DPRK under the pretext of "offer of extended deterrence" and "strengthened south Korea-US alliance", as evidenced by their most hostile rhetoric and explicit action this year, it is quite natural for the DPRK to develop its military deterrent strong enough to cope with the serious security environment at present and in the future, he said, adding that possessing and operating military reconnaissance means is the most crucial primary task for increasing the military effectiveness and utility of different war deterrence means of the DPRK in doing so.

He set forth the militant task to organize a non-permanent satellite-launching preparatory committee to make sure that military reconnaissance satellite No. 1 completed as of April will be launched at the planned date, speed up its final preparations and firmly establish the satellite intelligence-gathering capability by deploying several reconnaissance satellites on different orbits in succession in the future.

Upon receiving the deep trust and encouragement of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, the officials, scientists and technicians of the NADA were filled with a firm determination to become conquerors of space faithfully upholding the Party's far-reaching plan for building a space power through their perfect practice and thus proudly demonstrate the dignity and prestige of the DPRK and the great national power of Juche Korea in the outer space.