A spokesman for the National Aerospace Technology Administration of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea released a press statement entitled “Illegal double standard can never be tolerated in space, common asset of mankind” on December 4.

The statement said:

The US, which is hell-bent on illegal denunciation of and sanctions on our country over its exercise of sovereign rights, has brazenly committed a double standard-based act of launching a spy satellite of the “Republic of Korea”. This is a space-wide tragi-comedy.

While patronizing and shielding its stooges’ possession of military capabilities for aggression against the DPRK, the US is unreasonably insisting that our satellite launch constitutes a threat to regional peace and stability and yet impudently asserting that the ROK gang’s satellite launch is different in nature in terms of “observance of international law”.

Ten years ago the US said that south Korea’s satellite launch was unlike that of north Korea as the former had no military intention. Now, however, I am anxious to know how unreasonably the US will explain the launch of the ROK gang’s spy satellite with clear military purpose.

At present whether the launch of the satellites of the same kind is legal or not is judged for the reason that one is of the DPRK, an independent sovereign state, and the other is of the servile and pro-US ROK. This tragic situation clearly shows who disturbs peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and violates universal international laws.

Considering the US military movements hostile towards the DPRK and the region, it is as clear as day what the spy satellite of the ROK, a military colony of the US, will be used for.

If the US’ gangster-like logic that its stooges can do anything but a country to which it is hostile cannot exercise even its fundamental right as a sovereign state is connived at and tolerated, global peace and stability will be exposed to irretrievably serious danger.

It is intolerable that the gangster-like American standard is enforced even in space, common asset of mankind.

To have a sharper “eye” and a stronger “fist” to cope with the high-handedness and hegemonic ambition of the US is the most important precondition for safeguarding the legitimate right of the DPRK and ensuring regional security.

The DPRK’s activities for space development will be more steadily conducted in accordance with the general will of all the Korean people and the universal equal authority given to sovereign states by the UN Charter and other international laws, instead of standard or norm of legality defined by anybody.

The National Aerospace Technology Administration of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will resolutely and perfectly carry out its important mission of building a capacity for aerospace reconnaissance to thoroughly watch and grasp the ever-worsening military moves of the US and other hostile forces, according to the state’s plan for strategic space exploration.