North Korea condemned the UN Security Council for convening a meeting on its recent satellite launch, claiming it was in response to “robbery demands” from the US. The country vowed to persistently reject sanctions and take “self-defensive” actions, as reported by state media KCNA on Sunday (Jun 4).
The US had called for a UNSC meeting last week to discuss North Korea’s unsuccessful attempt to launch its first spy satellite, resulting in the booster and payload plunging into the sea.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a prominent ruling party official, criticized the meeting, stating that it exemplified the council’s role as a US “political appendage.” She accused the council of yielding to Washington’s “robbery demands” and disregarding North Korea’s right to develop space technology.
Kim expressed deep offense at the UNSC’s routine criticism of North Korea’s exercise of sovereign rights, driven by the United States. She strongly condemned and rejected such actions as unfair, prejudiced, and interference in internal affairs, constituting an infringement of their sovereignty. Her statement was conveyed by KCNA.
“Legitimate, Self-defensive Countermeasure”
According to Kim, the satellite launch served as a “legitimate, self-defensive countermeasure” against escalating threats from the US and its allies. North Korea has accused these nations of reigniting tensions with their annual springtime military drills.
Kim emphasized that North Korea would never acknowledge UN sanctions resolutions, even if they imposed them numerous times.. She pledged to continue exercising their sovereign rights, including the launch of spy satellites.
In an additional KCNA report, a commentary by Kim Myong Chol, described as an international affairs analyst, criticized a resolution adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) security committee. Furthermore ,North Korea had informed the IMO about the timeframe of its planned satellite launch. However, the resolution strongly condemned the country’s missile tests, deeming them a serious threat to the safety of seafarers and international shipping.
The analyst criticized the IMO, stating that it had become “completely politicized” and In addition , it aligned itself with the anti-North Korea policies of the US and its allies, thereby adopting a hostile stance.