Japan’s launch of a rocket carrying an intelligence-gathering satellite drew condemnations from North Korea on Thursday. File Photo courtesy of Jiji Press/EPA

March 23 (UPI) -- North Korea accused Japan of espionage on Thursday, nearly a week after Tokyo placed a reconnaissance satellite into orbit.

A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman told Pyongyang's state-controlled KCNA the Japanese satellite was being used for insidious purposes.


"The launch is a clear indication of an ambition to reinvade Korea," the spokesman said.

Japan colonized the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

Tokyo did launch a rocket carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite on Friday.

The reconnaissance "Radar 5" satellite can take photographs at night and during adverse weather conditions.

The H-2A rocket was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan and cost Tokyo $327 million.

Pyongyang's spokesman said, "Japanese authorities announced the satellite launch was for intelligence gathering, revealing for themselves the satellite is for spying purposes."

North Korea also slammed the United States for what it described as double standards in the region.

"The United States has no issue with U.S. allies developing missiles or launching spy satellites, while countries the United States considers to be enemies continue to have their right to launch peaceful satellites violated. Such hostile reasoning cannot be legitimized," the Pyongyang spokesman said.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket in February 2016 and placed a satellite into orbit.

Pyongyang has said the launch served peaceful purposes, but critics have warned the program is a fig leaf for weapons tests.