North Korean leader’s sister slams US for criticizing failed satellite launch

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The sister of North Korean Kim Jong Un has accused the United States of “gangster-like” hypocrisy for criticizing her country’s failed launch of a military spy satellite and insisted a successful launch will be made soon. Kim Yo Jong said North Korea’s efforts to acquire space-based reconnaissance capabilities were a legitimate exercise of its sovereign right and restated the country’s rejection of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban it from conducting any launch involving ballistic missile technology. North Korea said the launch Wednesday failed after the rocket carrying the satellite lost thrust after a stage separation and crashed in waters off the Korean Peninsula’s western coast.