North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the development of bigger rockets, after Pyongyang sparked international condemnation with a long-range rocket launch, state media reported on Sunday.
He gave the order to scientists, technicians and others involved in this month’s launch at a banquet on Friday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
“You should develop and launch a variety of more working satellites, including communications satellite, and carrier rockets of bigger capacity,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. “The launch… was a grand declaration that demonstrated the DPRK’s (North Korea’s) independent and legitimate right to use space for peaceful purposes before the world.”
He added that the rocket, the satellite and monitoring devices were “indigenously produced, 100%”.
Kim had already stressed the need to put more satellites into space two days after the December 12 launch.
North Korea says the launch put a satellite in orbit for peaceful research, but critics say it amounted to a banned ballistic missile test that marked a major advance for the communist state’s nuclear weapons programme.
It sparked international condemnation, including from the UN, although the North’s main ally China is said by diplomats to be resisting US-led efforts to order new sanctions against Pyongyang at the Security Council.
Pyongyang is already under international sanctions for conducting two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Kim had already called for sending more scientific satellites into space on the day of the launch. But his speech on Friday marks the first time he is explicitly calling for the advancement of his country’s long-range rocket programme.
