North Korea says any potential interference or “attack on its space assets” from the US will be “deemed a declaration of war against it”, state media KCNA reported on Saturday, citing a statement from the country’s defense ministry spokesperson.

A South Korean spy satellite was part of a SpaceX rideshare launch Friday afternoon that lifted off at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — South Korea on Friday launched its first military spy satellite, a little over a week after North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time as tensions rise between the rivals.

South Korea on Friday successfully placed its first spy satellite into orbit, a little over a week after the nation’s archenemy North Korea did the same. The satellite was fired into space atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The North Korean regime is warning the U.S. that any attempt to interfere with the military spy satellite launched last month would be a declaration of war.

North Korea lashed out at the United States on Saturday after a U.S. space official hinted at possible disabling of the North's military spy satellite launched last week, saying that it will take it as "a declaration of war" against the regime.

The United States on Thursday targeted North Korea with fresh sanctions after its launch of a spy satellite last week, designating foreign-based agents it accused of facilitating sanctions evasion to gather revenue and technology for its weapons of mass destruction program.