North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the country's first military intelligence satellite and gave the "green light" to a plan for further action, North Korean state media said on Wednesday, adding that the satellite was "ready to be loaded" onto a rocket, Yonhap reported.

 Kim Jong-un made an on-site inspection of the Standing Committee for Satellite Launch Preparation to check the overall condition of the spy satellite and approved a "future action plan", the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, suggesting a launch may be imminent . writes Yonhap.

 In the photos released by the Central Committee of the People's Republic of China, Kim Joo-ae's daughter can be seen accompanying him during the inspection.

 "After a detailed review of the work of the committee, he inspected the military intelligence satellite No. 1, which is ready for loading after passing the final inspection of the general assembly and testing of the space environment," the statement said in English.

 The leader of North Korea emphasized that the successful launch of the satellite is an "urgent requirement" in the current security environment and the process of "strengthening the defense potential on a priority basis."

 He also said that "the more desperate US imperialists and South Korean puppet villains" escalate their confrontational actions against the DPRK, "the more justly, honestly and offensively" he will exercise his right to self-defense to deter them.

 CTAK did not provide further details on the "future action plan", including an exact launch date.

 Experts say North Korea is likely to calculate the ideal time to launch the satellite based on climate conditions and major political events, Yonhap reports.

 "The next step is for North Korea to mount the satellite inside the paired blocks at the upper end of the projectile. The launch could take place as early as June, depending on the readiness of the launch vehicle," said Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

 In turn, Japan is preparing for the launch of a Korean satellite. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered troops to prepare PAC-3 anti-aircraft missiles in southwestern Japan, including Okinawa and nearby islands, in an area believed to be under the flight path of a North Korean missile that will deliver a satellite.

 He also ordered destroyers equipped with SM-3 air-to-air missiles to be diverted to coastal waters, the ministry said in a statement.