North Korea said Japan's attempts to put spy satellites into orbit is evidence it wants to become a "military giant" and expand overseas

Business Asia, Dec, 2003

North Korea said Japan's attempts to put spy satellites into orbit is evidence it wants to become a "military giant" and expand overseas. Japan is Seeking to "destroy the strategic balance and gain supremacy in strategic attack weapons in North East Asia", the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing a commentary in the Minju Jason newspaper.

"If this is allowed, the criminal atrocities committed by the Japanese imperialists against other national states during the Second World War will be repeated," the report said. Japan sent two spy satellites into orbit in March. An attempt last month to launch another two satellites failed. North Korea's Government reacted by saying it would take unspecified measures against Japan.