North Korea conducted an "important final-stage test" for the development of a reconnaissance satellite, state media reported Monday, a day after its neighboring countries said the nation launched two ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan. North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration said it will complete preparations for its first military reconnaissance satellite by April 2023, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Pyongyang also released a picture of a projectile launch, as well as aerial photo images of South Korean capital Seoul and its nearby city Incheon. The North's space agency said Sunday's test at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground was a "success," confirming key elements such as the data processing and transmission capability of communication devices, as well as the tracking and controlling accuracy of a ground control system, KCNA reported. The agency described it as a "high-angle launch of a test-piece satellite into the altitude of 500" kilometers that had been carrying three cameras and a video transmitter, among other items. The test results were immediately reported to the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, KCNA added. Japan's Defense Ministry said Sunday the two missiles flew 500 km, reaching a maximum altitude of 550 km before both fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The ministry confirmed there were no reports of damage to aircraft or vessels. In January last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said at a congress of the ruling party that his country had completed the design of a military reconnaissance satellite. The North fired one ballistic missile each on Feb. 27 and March 5 this year, stating they were tests for developing a reconnaissance satellite system. Pyongyang has test-launched ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, at an unprecedented pace since earlier this year in defiance of past UN Security Council resolutions. The latest launches came after Japan said Friday it will obtain "counterstrike capabilities" in three revised defense documents. In one of the three documents, Pyongyang's military activities were described as an "imminent threat." North Korea also said Friday it had successfully test-fired a "high-thrust solid-fuel motor" with 140 tons of thrust, according to KCNA, as the country seeks to develop an ICBM capable of being launched with a shorter preparation time compared with those using liquid fuel. The state-run KCNA reported an "important final-stage test" involving a mock satellite that it said was launched Sunday from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in western North Korea. Along with pictures of the launch, KCNA posted a pair of low-resolution, black-and-white images of Seoul and Incheon, presumably taken from the mock satellite. The test was meant "to evaluate This year, North Korea has launched a record-high number of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, which can likely reach the mainland United States. — Agencies
