South Korea launched its first military spy satellite into space from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It was a significant move, especially after North Korea recently claimed to have put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time amid escalating tensions between the two nations. The launch had been scheduled for earlier in the week but was postponed due to adverse weather conditions.
Before this satellite launch, South Korea had no military reconnaissance satellites in space and had relied partly on the United States’ spy satellites to monitor movements by North Korea. The successful satellite launch will enable the South Korean military to acquire an independent space-based surveillance system, thus enhancing its preemptive missile strike capability.
In response to South Korea’s launch, North Korea claimed to have launched its own spy satellite shortly before, threatening to eliminate or undermine the capabilities of U.S. spy satellites. This has sparked immediate condemnations from the United States, South Korea, and other nations, as multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit satellite launches by North Korea, viewing them as covers for testing its long-range missile technology.
The North Korean satellite launch has exacerbated animosities between the two Koreas, with both nations taking steps to breach a previous military agreement meant to ease front-line military tensions. Spy satellites are among the high-tech weapons systems that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has publicly vowed to introduce, particularly following about 100 ballistic missile tests North Korea has conducted since 2022 as part of efforts to modernize its weapons targeting South Korea and the United States.