North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country has completed the development of its first military spy satellite and ordered officials to go ahead with its launch as planned, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

Kim, who was visiting the country’s National Aerospace Development Administration, said developing reconnaissance capabilities was a priority to counter “threats” from the United States and South Korea and that several satellites were necessary to firmly establish an intelligence-gathering capability, the state’s KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

North Korea in December conducted what it called an "important, final phase" test for the development of a spy satellite and said it would complete launching by April.

KCNA said the satellite production has been completed but it did not elaborate on the scheduled launch date.

"Securing real-time information about the hostile forces' military scenario" is the "most important" task, Kim said, also denouncing the deployment of US strategic assets in the region as an attempt "to turn South Korea into an advanced base for aggression and an arsenal for war". 

"He (Kim) said that possession of such satellite is a primary task to be indispensably fulfilled to bolster up the armed forces of the DPRK ... and belongs to its sovereignty and legitimate right to self-defence," KCNA said, using the initials of the country's official name.

Kim also accused the US and South Korea of expanding hostile military campaigns in the name of bolstering their alliance and claimed the US was trying to “turn South Korea into an advanced base for aggression and an arsenal for war” by deploying military assets like aircraft carriers and nuclear-capable bombers in the region.

Kim accused the US of trying “to turn South Korea into an advanced base for aggression and an arsenal for war” by deploying military assets like aircraft carriers and nuclear-capable bombers in the region.

Image source: AP