Washington, DC [US], December 2 : North Korea has warned that any US involvement or attack on its "space assets" will be considered a "declaration of war," CNN reported, citing the state media outlet KCNA on Saturday.
"The US Space Force's deplorable hostility toward the DPRK's reconnaissance satellite can never be overlooked as it is just a challenge to the sovereignty of the DPRK, and more exactly, a declaration of war against it," the country's defence ministry said in a statement reported by KCNA.
The official name of North Korea is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The warning came less than two weeks after Pyongyang announced the launch of its first spy satellite into space, a move that analysts anticipated may allow the North to more precisely target adversaries' forces if the spacecraft works.
Neither South Korea, the United States, nor Japan, which are all experiencing rising military tensions with North Korea, could confirm the launch of "Malligyong-1."
Just days after the North Korean launch, the South sent its first spy satellite into orbit with the assistance of SpaceX, according to CNN.
Citing KCNA, CNN reported Pyongyang issued the warning in response to an alleged comment from a US Space Command official who "spouted rubbish hinting at a military attack on the DPRK's reconnaissance satellite."
According to Pyongyang, its satellite is for reconnaissance and "is not regarded as a space weapon by international law due to its technical features aimed at observation."
North Korea's neighbouring nations, Japan and South Korea, criticised the November launch, calling it a "clear violation" of a UN Security Council resolution prohibiting North Korea from utilising ballistic missile technology, reported CNN.
Pyongyang, on the other hand, warned that if its reconnaissance satellite is deemed a "military threat" that "must be eliminated," it should also destroy "countless spy satellites of the US flying above the Korean peninsula region every day, exclusively tasked with monitoring the DPRK's major strategic spots.
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