Kim Jong-un makes rare appearance with daughter to mark 'new era of space power'

24 November 2023 , 19:23

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North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter (left) posing with scientists (Image: KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a rare public appearance with his young daughter as he celebrated a "new era of space power" after successfully launching a military spy satellite into orbit.

Wearing a black leather coat and holding his daughter Ju Ae's hand, the dictator posed with scientists and space workers at the National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA). Pyongyang's launch of the Malligyong-1 on Tuesday was the country's third attempt after failures in May and August.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), all of the attendees - who were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with NATA's logo - "enthusiastically cheered expressing thanks to the great father who finally ensured the successful launch." The state-run agency added Kim showed "such paternal love for the space scientists".

The dictator talked to scientists and space workers at the National Aerospace Technology Administration (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

While visiting the national space agency, Kim said the launch was "a full-fledged exercise of the right to self-defence", adding that the satellite would help to protect North Korea from "dangerous and aggressive moves of the hostile forces". He described the launch earlier this week as "a new era of space power".

Since the satellite's launch on Tuesday, South Korea suspended a five-year-old military accord with the North and deployed "surveillance and reconnaissance assets" to the border. Pyongyang responded by calling Seoul's moves "reckless" and said it would also suspend the deal in full.

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The satellite launch was condemned by the UN as well as other countries including the US and Japan. On Tuesday, residents of Okinawa in Japan were told to find underground shelter and to evacuate ahead of an incoming North Korean missile strike.

Kim and his daughter attending a banquet at the Mulan Pavilion in Pyongyang (KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Image)

A civil protection service shared an alert on X, formerly called Twitter, saying: "Missile launch. Missile launch. It appears that the missile was launched from North Korea. Please evacuate inside the building or underground. [Target area] Okinawa Prefecture."

Residents took to social media to share videos of the chaos wrought by the alert. In one video, piercing sirens can be heard wailing as locals scatter to find shelter. Some experts say the missile is likely carrying the satellite, and that it is following the pre-determined flight path, which travels across Okinawa.

However, some suspected something more sinister could be at play having never seen such a serious alert broadcast on TV networks before. At 11.20pm local time (around 14.20pm UK time), the missile had reportedly passed over the major city without causing any damage.

Chiara Fiorillo