North Korean Leader Orders Launch of First Spy Satellite Amid Regional Tensions: State Media

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul, on April 13, 2023. - North Korea fired a ballistic missile on April 13, Seoul's military said, prompting Japan to briefly issue a seek shelter warning to residents of the northern Hokkaido region. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

North Korea’s leader has ordered that the launch of his country’s first military spy satellite proceed “as planned” to ensure its military effectiveness amid regional tensions, the state-run media reported on April 19.

During his visit to the North’s aerospace agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country’s military reconnaissance satellite had been completed and urged officials to speed up final preparations for its launch.