The decision to launch the satellite, which had been planned by Kim Jong-il, is clearly intended to provide a “heroic” martial achievement for a new leader who lacks any military experience. The regime aims to boost North Korea’s international prestige and domestic morale simultaneously, with the population supposedly keen to support this show of the country’s technological and military might.
该卫星发射计划在金正日时代就已开始谋划，显然，该计划是为了给缺少军队经验的新领导人提供“威武”的军事成就。当局意在同时提高朝鲜的国际地位和国内士气，朝鲜人民想必将热烈支持这一计划，并将之视为朝鲜技术和军事实力的展示。