Posted on 12/27/2017 5:56:22 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
(LEAD) N. Korea defends space development as 'legitimate right'
2017/12/25 15:46
SEOUL, Dec. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday defended its push for space development as a "legitimate" exercise of its rights, sparking speculation that it may continue to stage missile provocations under the disguise of satellite launches.
The Rodong Sinmin, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, claimed that with its launch of the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite in February last year, Pyongyang has "in earnest" entered the stage of developing application satellites.
"Our satellite launch is a legitimate exercise of the right that thoroughly fits the U.N. Charter that enshrines the basic rights of respect for sovereignty and equality, and the international law that governs the peaceful use of space," the newspaper said.
Enumerating foreign cases such as space development launches by Algeria and Venezuela, the newspaper said that space development has become a domain for international competition that involves not only a few advanced countries, but also many others.
"Our country is also in step with the trends of space development that is taking place broadly across the world," it said.
The paper went on to say that the North would continue to push for its "peaceful" space development to "help contribute to the dreams and ideals of mankind."
It has recently repeatedly mentioned its policy of peaceful space development, spawning concerns that Pyongyang could continue missile tests on the pretext of space research.
"Though the North argues for its right for space development, it could be part of efforts to build its rationale for launching long-range rockets," Cho Sung-ryul, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy, said.
Meanwhile, the North's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee criticized the U.N. Security Council's latest sanctions resolution against Pyongyang, calling it a document "led and fabricated" by the United States.
"(We) sternly reject the sanctions resolution which we define as an illegal document that does not have any legitimacy and legality," it said in a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
The statement also berated Japan and South Korea for joining the sanctions resolution, warning the confrontation's "last point" will be "escalated tensions and war."
On Friday, the Security Council passed the new resolution in response to the North's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 29. It slapped the regime with caps on its imports of refined and crude oil and blocked key sources of revenue suspected of funding the weapons programs.
P!
Thanks for the Ping list, you do a great job!
Where could they possibly get the knowledge of how to do this?
LOL. That is rich coming from him whose company wants to stifle exactly that in the name of fighting fake news.
We can shoot it down on de-orbit via F-15 with SM-1 missile - I think that was the combination used last time.
I concur....... if the rockets trajectory is in an easterly direction
Missiles passing over or directed at japan are an act of war. Japan by not shooting the NORK missiles down is aquesing to the war like action
Turning from threatening to turn America into a sea of fire to peaceful exploration of space. It’s all rhetoric but a good sign that they’re toningnit down. They take us seriously, for a change.
Is that thing not enough for shooting down an incoming ICBM? I haven’t heard about it mentioned as a viable interceptor.
No, or rather I doubt it, if for no other reason than modern ICBMs have decoys and means to evade, whereas junk does not. There was a successful test on shooting down a failing satellite - the one I was referring to: it is not meant to be an ‘interceptor’, but more along the lines of disabling an enemy satellite system.
Should it be done preemptively or is there enough time to do it after its deorbiting is confirmed.
—
See the USAF X-37 ...
Is that the NFL commissioner sitting in that picture?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.