The Ministry of National Defense of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) warned in a statement Saturday that "any attack against the country's space assets will be deemed as declaration of war," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The warning came after an official from the U.S. Space Command recently said that the United States can decrease the enemy country's outer space operation capabilities by employing diverse "reversible and irreversible methods," hinting at the U.S. intention to militarily attack the DPRK's reconnaissance satellite "Malligyong-1," according to the statement.

Noting the reconnaissance satellite is "a part of the territory of the DPRK where its sovereignty is exercised," the statement said the U.S. stance is "a challenge to the sovereignty of the DPRK, and more exactly, a declaration of war against it."

"It is the mission of the DPRK armed forces to exercise their war deterrent to protect the state sovereignty and territorial integrity in case a lethal military attack is carried out against the country's strategic assets or it is judged such attack is imminent," the statement stressed.

(Cover: DPRK's reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1 being launched from the Sohae Satellite Launch Site in North Pyongan province, DPRK, November 22, 2023. /CFP)