US warns N. Korea's space rocket launches flout UN Security Council resolutions

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a key ruling party meeting in Pyongyang, Dec. 27, 2023. Yonhap

North Korean space rocket launches violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, a State Department spokesperson said Sunday, after Pyongyang announced a goal of launching three more military spy satellites in 2024.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un put forward the goal among others as the five-day Central Committee gathering of the ruling Workers' Party concluded on Saturday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Space launch vehicles (SLVs) incorporate technologies that are identical to, and interchangeable with, those used in ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)," the spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency via email.

"Any DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, which would include SLVs used to launch a satellite into space, violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," the official added, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In November, the North claimed to have successfully put a military spy satellite, named Malligyong-1, into orbit after two failed attempts in May and August, respectively.

During the ruling party session, Kim outlined key defense tasks for 2024, including stepping up efforts to build more nuclear weapons, according to KCNA.

He also called for a "fundamental change" in his regime's handling of relations with the South, saying cross-border ties have become those of "two hostile countries" or "countries engaged in state of combat."

The State Department spokesperson reiterated Washington's pursuit of diplomacy with Pyongyang.

"The United States has been very clear — we seek dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions. We remain committed to diplomacy, even as the DPRK launches an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles," the spokesperson said.

"We have also been clear that we will seek to cooperate on humanitarian issues, regardless of the status of WMD and missile-related discussions," the official added. WMD stands for weapons of mass destruction.

The spokesperson also reiterated that coordinated efforts with South Korea and Japan will continue to address challenges from the North.

"We continue to consult closely with the Republic of Korea, Japan, and other allies and partners about how to best engage the DPRK, deter aggression, and coordinate international responses to the DPRK's violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions," the official said. (Yonhap)