North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

NADA Director Gives Interview to NK Press

NADA Seal

The Director of the DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration [NADA] gave an interview to DPRK state media on September 14 (Monday) with regard to “the achievements made by its scientists and technicians in the field of outer space development” ahead of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea.  The interview appeared in state media over a week after a 38 North/USKI analysis found continued construction and development at the Sohae Launch Facility in Tongch’ang-ri, North P’yo’ngan Province.

According to KCNA, the NADA Director said:

 The field of outer space development is also registering shining achievements like all other fields this year.

The NADA is pushing forward at a final phase the development of a new earth observation satellite for weather forecast, etc. positively conducive to the development of the nation’s economy and made big progress in the research into the geostationary satellite, a new higher stage in the development of satellite.

Successful progress made in reconstructing and expanding satellite launching grounds for higher-level satellite lift-off has laid a firm foundation for dynamically pushing ahead with the nation’s development of space science.

Space development has become a worldwide trend and many countries are manufacturing and launching satellites for various purposes including communication, global positioning, crop estimate, metrological observation and resource prospecting.

The DPRK’s satellite launch is also a peaceful project, pursuant to its sci-tech development plan for building an economic power and improving the people’s standard of living.

Space development for peaceful purposes is a sovereign state’s legitimate right recognized by international law and the Party and the people of the DPRK are fully determined to exercise this right no matter what others may say about it.

The world will clearly see a series of satellites of Military-First (So’ngun) Korea soaring into the sky at the times and locations determined by the WPK Central Committee.

An affiliate of 38 North