The Xinhua News Agency said that Kim Jong Un gave a final written order regarding the launch of the second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 to the Korean Committee of Space Technology at 8 a.m. and visited the General Satellite Control and Command Center at 9 a.m. on December 12.

It went on:

The second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 is Juche satellite in every aspect as it was developed and manufactured by the DPRK with its own strength, technology and wisdom, he said, saying that successful and accurate entry of the satellite into its pole-to-pole trajectory further consolidated the status of the DPRK as a space power and demonstrated that it has reached the highest level in terms of cutting-edge science and technology.

The successful launch of the satellite served as an occasion that showed once again at home and abroad the unshakable stand of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government to exercise the country's legitimate right to use space for peaceful purposes and to develop the country's science, technology and economy, he noted.

He stressed the need to continue to launch satellites in the future, too, to develop the country's science, technology and economy.

He underscored the need to bring about a fresh turn in scientific researches into space and satellite launch field based on the successful launch of the second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3.

The news was also reported by ITAR-TASS, Kyodo News, Tokyo Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun.