North Korea implied late last year that it would finish “preparations” for a military satellite launch as early as April 2023. As spring approaches, the ruling Workers’ Party initiated a meeting on aerospace development with leading party and academic figures. 

State media has framed such a satellite as a boon to the civilian sector, helping farmers and others by providing “real-time satellite information.” 

The Choson Sinbo, a North Korea-affiliated Japanese outlet, reported on the recent U.N. Security Council from last Monday. It criticized the U.S. for trying to “overthrow” Kim Jong Un by forcing