North Korean leader Kim Jong-un celebrated Pyongyang’s successful launch of a military spy satellite during a visit to the headquarters of the regime’s space agency, which he lauded as the North’s “space guard,” state media reported Friday.

According to an English-language report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim told engineers and scientists at the regime’s National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) on Thursday that the satellite launch was an “eye-opening event” and “precious victory” that would enable the North to surveil “the military intention and moves of the hostile forces.”

The North Korean leader also claimed that the regime’s launch of a spy satellite is a “full-fledged” exercise of its right to self-defense and a step closer to its “immediate and long-term goal” of possessing operational space reconnaissance capabilities.

Photos of Kim’s visit to the space agency showed he was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae, who appeared in commemorative photos released by the KCNA.

The KCNA reported they were greeted by NATA General Director Ryu Sang-hun, who is believed to be in charge of the North’s satellite development program.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Thursday that the North appeared to have successfully launched a spy satellite into orbit on Tuesday night, likely with technological assistance from Russia after Kim met Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare summit in September.

The North has vowed to launch more satellites soon to boost its reconnaissance capabilities.

The KCNA also reported that the North Korean leader attended a banquet Thursday night with his wife and daughter to celebrate the satellite launch.

Other participants at the banquet included senior NATA officials, rocket scientists and engineers, as well as high-ranking military and government officials, including Jang Chang-ha, chief of the General Missile Bureau, according to the KCNA.

In photos released by state media, most participants, including Kim’s wife Ri Sol-ju and their daughter, wore short-sleeved T-shirts with the “DPRK NATA” logo printed on their chests.

DPRK is the acronym for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

At a press briefing Friday, Seoul’s Unification Ministry denounced Pyongyang’s launch of a spy satellite as a violation of international law.

“It is deplorable that North Korea is celebrating an act that directly threatened peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the world while clearly violating United Nations Security Council resolutions,” said Kim In-ae, a deputy spokesperson at the ministry.

Under multiple UNSC resolutions, the North is barred from conducting launches that involve the use of ballistic missile technology.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]