Current:Home > ContactChainkeen Exchange-South Korea launches its first spy satellite after rival North Korea does the same -Blueprint Money Mastery
Chainkeen Exchange-South Korea launches its first spy satellite after rival North Korea does the same
Poinbank Exchange View
Date:2025-04-11 00:42:01
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE,Chainkeen Exchange 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.
Launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, it was the first of five spy satellites South Korea plans to send into space by 2025 under a contract with SpaceX. The event had been scheduled for earlier this week but was pushed back because of weather conditions.
South Korea has had no military reconnaissance satellites of its own in space and has partially resorted to U.S. spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea.
When operated together with South Korea’s so-called three-axis system — preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory assets — experts say spy satellites will significantly boost the country’s defense against North Korea.
After two launch failures earlier this year, North Korea said it successfully placed its “Malligyong-1” spy satellite into orbit last week. South Korea confirmed that the satellite entered orbit, but officials said they need more time to verify whether it is working properly.
North Korea said Tuesday that leader Kim Jong Un reviewed imagery taken by the Malligyong-1 satellite of the White House and the Pentagon in Washington and U.S. aircraft carriers at a navy base and a shipyard in Virginia. North Korea earlier said the satellite also transmitted photos of U.S. military facilities in Guam and Hawaii and key sites in South Korea.
North Korea hasn’t yet released those photos. Outside experts remain skeptical about whether its satellite can send high-resolution imagery and perform proper military reconnaissance.
The North Korean satellite launch sparked immediate, strong condemnations from the U.S., South Korea and others. Multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions ban any satellite launches by North Korea, viewing them as covers for testing its long-range missile technology.
North Korea responded angrily, saying it has sovereign rights to launch spy satellites to cope with what it calls increasing U.S. hostilities. It said it would also launch additional ones.
“The main threat to international peace and security does not come from the exercise of (North Korea’s) sovereign right but from the U.S. high-handed and arbitrary practices to disturb and oppress it,” Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement Thursday.
The satellite launches have inflamed animosities between the rival Koreas, and both nations have taken steps to breach a previous military agreement meant to ease frontline military tensions.
Spy satellites are among the high-tech weapons systems that Kim has publicly vowed to introduce. Since last year, North Korea has conducted about 100 ballistic missile tests, part of efforts to modernize its arsenal of weapons targeting South Korea and the United States.
In response, South Korea and the U.S. have expanded their military training and enhanced “regular visibility” of U.S. strategic assets, including aircraft carriers, nuclear-capable bombers and a nuclear-armed submarine in the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers last week that Russia’s technological assistance likely enabled North Korea to place its spy satellite into orbit. South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have accused North Korea of seeking high-tech Russian technologies needed to enhance its military programs in return for supplying conventional arms to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both Russia and North Korea have denied the allegations.
veryGood! (325)
Related
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Mindy Kaling Reveals Her Exercise Routine Consists Of a Weekly 20-Mile Walk or Hike
- Depression And Alzheimer's Treatments At A Crossroads
- Walmart offers to pay $3.1 billion to settle opioid lawsuits
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- Celebrated Water Program That Examined Fracking, Oil Sands Is Abruptly Shut Down
- Ice-T Says His and Coco Austin’s 7-Year-Old Daughter Chanel Still Sleeps in Their Bed
- Carrying out executions took a secret toll on workers — then changed their politics
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- Today’s Climate: August 6, 2010
Ranking
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Isle of Paradise Flash Deal: Save 56% on Mess-Free Self-Tanning Mousse
- Florida woman who fatally shot neighbor called victim's children the n-word and Black slave, arrest report says
- Depression And Alzheimer's Treatments At A Crossroads
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- Control of Congress matters. But which party now runs your state might matter more
- Roberta Flack announces she has ALS
- Donald Trump indicted in documents probe. Here's what we know so far.
Recommendation
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Why Andy Cohen Was Very Surprised by Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann's Divorce
Daily meditation may work as well as a popular drug to calm anxiety, study finds
Oil and Gas Quakes Have Long Been Shaking Texas, New Research Finds
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
When she left Ukraine, an opera singer made room for a most precious possession
Today’s Climate: August 9, 2010
African scientists say Western aid to fight pandemic is backfiring. Here's their plan