North Korea wants to send astronauts to the Moon within 10 years
Dictator Kim Jong Un has ordered universities in the secretive country to train more rocket scientists
NORTH Korea loony Kim Jong Un wants his men on the moon in ten years.
The dictator has apparently set out a five-year plan to launch more satellites.
Universities have been ordered to expand programmes to train rocket scientists.
The country’s version of NASA said its long-term goal is “moon exploration and exploration to other planets”.
Hyon Kwang Il, director of the National Aerospace Development Administration, said international sanctions will not stop it putting more satellites and even astronauts into orbit.
He added: “Even though the US and its allies try to block our space development, our scientists will conquer space and definitely plant our the flag on the moon.
"No matter what anyone thinks, our country will launch more satellites.”
The five-year plan includes development of the country's first geostationary communications satellite — one which “hovers” over the same spot of land.
North Korea has had a number of notable successes with its space program and currently has two satellites - KMS-3-2 and KMS-4 - in orbit.
The country has also seen success with its development of long-range missiles for its military.
On Wednesday, North Korea tested a ballistic missile 620 miles away from Japanese waters which was called out as a "great threat" by Japan's PM Shinzo Abe.
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In January North Korea was sanctioned by the UN after conducting what it claims was its first nuclear H-bomb test.
Hyon called the UN sanctions "ridiculous."
He boasted that the country's KMS-4 had completed 2,513 orbits, passes over North Korea four times a day and within its first day in space had transmitted 700 photographic images to Earth.
Foreign experts are yet to confirm any communication from the satellite.
So far, the U.S. is the only country to have conducted a successful manned lunar mission.
Some experts believe North Korea's mission is ambitious but there is no reason why it could not happen.
Jonathan McDowell, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Massachusetts, US, said: “I think it is hard to see them succeeding in this in the next five years, but possible to see them attempting it.”
German analyst Markus Schiller - one of the world's experts on North Korean missiles and rockets - seemed more doubtful and said the world would not see a successful North Korea lunar orbiter for "at least two decades, if ever."
"Judging from what I have seen so far with their space program, it will take North Korea about a decade or more to get to lunar orbit at best if they really pursue this mission.
"My guess is they might try but they will fail."