South Korea says second spy satellite successfully launched into orbit

Pyongyang declared South Korea its “main enemy” this year. (representative)

Seoul:

Seoul’s Defense Ministry said on Monday that South Korea’s second domestically produced spy satellite has been successfully put into orbit, having been launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the U.S. Space Center.

Seoul confirmed in December the successful launch of its first military spy satellite, also aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

“Our military’s second reconnaissance satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle at around 9:02 a.m. (1202 GMT) and entered the target orbit,” the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.

“We plan to confirm whether the satellite is operating normally through communications with overseas ground stations,” it added.

The latest developments intensify the space race on the Korean peninsula after North Korea launched its first military eyeball into the air last November.

South Korea’s first satellite has transmitted high-resolution images of downtown Pyongyang to Seoul authorities and is expected to begin its full mission phase as early as June, Seoul’s Yonhap News Agency reported.

Seoul plans to launch a total of five military spy satellites by 2025 to better monitor North Korea.

Once all five satellites are in orbit and begin their missions, South Korea’s military will be able to monitor key North Korean facilities using images sent every two hours, Seoul’s government-run broadcaster KTV reported.

Meanwhile, North Korea claims its spy satellites have sent images of the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and “primary target” locations across South Korea.

North Korea’s successful launch of “Malligyong-1” is Pyongyang’s third attempt to put such a satellite into orbit after two failed launches in May and August last year.

Seoul said North Korea received technical help from Moscow in the launch and in return provided weapons for Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Experts say putting working reconnaissance satellites into orbit will improve North Korea’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, especially over South Korea, and provide critical data in any military conflict.

Pyongyang this year declared South Korea its “main enemy,” abandoned institutions dedicated to reunification and outreach and threatened war over territorial incursions of “even 0.001 mm.”

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