North Korean Report Indicates They May Be Planning A Space Launch

As I have long said when the Kim regime decides to return to launching long range missiles they will conduct a space launch first and claim they have the right to a peaceful space program:

A North Korean newspaper Wednesday published an analysis of satellite programs in China, Russia and Europe, prompting suspicions that Pyongyang is considering an intercontinental ballistic missile launch ahead of the U.S. president’s visit to South Korea this month. 

The Rodong Sinmun, an official newspaper of the ruling Workers’ Party, ran a report entitled, “Fierce Competition to Operate own Navigation Satellite System” that discussed satellite development programs in China, Russia and European nations. The report was similar to an analysis published on May 6 discussing China’s successful launch of its 44th satellite. 

Analysts wondered if Pyongyang was sending a message to Washington before U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to South Korea later this month. He will visit Korea as a part of an Asian tour to attend a Group of 20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28 and 29. 

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link, but after they conduct the space launch they will then use the U.S. response, whatever that may be, as an excuse to launch longer range missile systems if a deal isn’t reached.

Kim Jong-un had previously said he was giving negotiations with the U.S. until the end of the year to reach a deal. I always figured this timeline was related to the U.S. presidential election cycle to where the regime may think President Trump does not want a provocation cycle to occur during his reelection campaign.

If Kim starts a provocation cycle before then, I think it may mean he is under tremendous pressure domestically to force the U.S. to reach a deal and the regime may think a space launch is way to pressure the U.S. to comply with their “pretend denuclearization” demands.