North Korea Launches Surveillance Satellite
Tokyo — North Korea successfully launched a surveillance satellite into orbit late Tuesday night, according to its state media. The claim couldn't immediately be confirmed independently.
It's the third time this year that North Korea has attempted to put a surveillance satellite into orbit. Two previous attempts — in May and August — both failed.
The rocket launch carrying the satellite into space was detected by South Korea's military.
"Our military detected a North Korean military reconnaissance satellite that was launched southward from the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province at 22:43 local time," the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The U.S. condemned the launch. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement it was "a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, raises tensions, and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond."
Very little is known about the satellite itself — and, crucially, whether its camera will be good enough to deliver North Korea high-resolution pictures of U.S. and South Korean military installations and maneuvers.
North Korea Launches Rocket Despite Warning
Earlier today, North Korea defied warnings from Japan and launched a rocket just hours after the warning was issued. The rocket was expected to discard parts into the sea around Japan and the Philippines.
The South Korean military had previously stated that they would take necessary measures in response to the launch, but did not specify what those measures would be. The United States and its allies in the region will now be closely monitoring the satellite to determine its capabilities.
North Korea has a history of launching satellites, with only two of them successfully placed in orbit. However, experts believe that these satellites are not transmitting information to ground stations.
South Korea Plans to Launch Surveillance Satellite
In response to North Korea's rocket launch, South Korea has announced plans to launch its own surveillance satellite on November 30. The satellite will be launched in California using Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket.
