{"id":7413,"date":"2023-05-30T17:47:10","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T16:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=7413"},"modified":"2023-05-30T18:10:27","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T17:10:27","slug":"north-korea-prepares-to-launch-first-military-spy-satellite-in-june","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/analysis\/defense\/north-korea-prepares-to-launch-first-military-spy-satellite-in-june\/2023\/05\/30\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea prepares to launch first military spy satellite in June"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEOUL<\/span>\u00a0(AP)<\/span> \u2014<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> said<\/span> Tuesday<\/span> it<\/span> would<\/span> launch<\/span> its<\/span> first<\/span> military<\/span> spy<\/span> satellite<\/span> in<\/span> June<\/span> and<\/span> described<\/span> space-based<\/span> reconnaissance<\/span> as<\/span> crucial<\/span> for<\/span> monitoring<\/span> U.S<\/span>\u00a0\u201creckless\u201d<\/span> military<\/span> exercises<\/span> with<\/span> South<\/span> Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

North Korea launched Earth observation satellites in 2012 and 2016, but their capabilities have been questioned. Foreign experts say the previous satellite never sent images back to North Korea, and analysts said the new device, which has been featured in state media in recent weeks, processes high-resolution images. It’s too small to be sent in the air, and it’s poorly designed.<\/span><\/p>\n

All<\/span> that<\/span> movement<\/span> taken<\/span> together,<\/span> along<\/span> with<\/span> the<\/span> announcement<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> pending<\/span> launch,<\/span> means<\/span> one<\/span> is<\/span> likely<\/span> imminent,<\/span> said<\/span> Dave<\/span> Schmerler,<\/span> a<\/span> senior<\/span> research<\/span> associate<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> James<\/span> Martin<\/span> Center<\/span> for<\/span> Nonproliferation<\/span> Studies,<\/span> which<\/span> is<\/span> part<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Middlebury<\/span> Institute<\/span> of<\/span> International<\/span> Studies<\/span> at<\/span> Monterey.<\/span> Schmerler<\/span> knew<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> could<\/span> monitor<\/span> the<\/span> site<\/span> from<\/span> above,<\/span> rather<\/span> than<\/span> installing<\/span> the<\/span> rocket<\/span> under<\/span> a<\/span> rail-mounted<\/span> transfer<\/span> structure<\/span> as<\/span> it<\/span> has<\/span> done<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> past,<\/span> so<\/span> he<\/span> launched<\/span> the<\/span> rocket<\/span> during<\/span> daylight<\/span> hours.<\/span> He<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> assembly<\/span> was<\/span> very<\/span> unusual.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“The<\/span> point<\/span> is<\/span> that<\/span> the<\/span> activity<\/span> is<\/span> being<\/span> seen<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> launch<\/span> system<\/span> designed<\/span> to<\/span> hide<\/span> the<\/span> activity,”<\/span> Schmaller<\/span> told<\/span> the<\/span> Associated<\/span> Press.<\/span> “This<\/span> is<\/span> new<\/span> and<\/span> interesting<\/span> because<\/span> the<\/span> normal<\/span> process<\/span> is<\/span> not<\/span> used.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Meanwhile,<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> workers<\/span> also<\/span> quickly<\/span> built<\/span> a<\/span> new<\/span> launch<\/span> pad<\/span> within<\/span> a<\/span> month,<\/span> just<\/span> 2.7<\/span> kilometers<\/span> (1.6<\/span> miles)<\/span> southeast<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> pad<\/span> where<\/span> all<\/span> activity<\/span> was<\/span> witnessed<\/span> on<\/span> Tuesday.<\/span> The<\/span> site<\/span> also<\/span> appears<\/span> to<\/span> have<\/span> a<\/span> rail<\/span> transit<\/span> system,<\/span> a<\/span> newly<\/span> paved<\/span> tarmac,<\/span> lightning<\/span> towers,<\/span> floodlights,<\/span> and<\/span> camera<\/span> stands.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Schmerler<\/span> said<\/span> the<\/span> missile<\/span> complex<\/span> may<\/span> have<\/span> wanted<\/span> to<\/span> show<\/span> off<\/span> its<\/span> new<\/span> facility,<\/span> given<\/span> that<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> leader<\/span> Kim<\/span> Jong<\/span> Un<\/span> is<\/span> likely<\/span> to<\/span> attend<\/span> the<\/span> launch.<\/span> That<\/span> would<\/span> allow<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> to<\/span> launch<\/span> a<\/span> second<\/span> time<\/span> if<\/span> it<\/span> so<\/span> desires.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> International<\/span> Maritime<\/span> Organization<\/span> told<\/span> the<\/span> Associated<\/span> Press<\/span> that<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> maritime<\/span> authorities<\/span> provided<\/span> an<\/span> outline<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> country’s<\/span> satellite<\/span> launch<\/span> plans,<\/span> including<\/span> the<\/span> launch<\/span> period<\/span> from<\/span> May<\/span> 31<\/span> to<\/span> June<\/span> 11<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> coordinates<\/span> of<\/span> areas<\/span> where<\/span> wreckage<\/span> could<\/span> fall.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> pace<\/span> of<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> weapons<\/span> tests<\/span> and<\/span> U.S.-South<\/span> Korea<\/span> joint<\/span> military<\/span> exercises<\/span> have<\/span> alternated<\/span> in<\/span> recent<\/span> months.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Since<\/span> early<\/span> 2022,<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> has<\/span> conducted<\/span> approximately<\/span> 100<\/span> missile<\/span> tests,<\/span> including<\/span> intercontinental<\/span> ballistic<\/span> missiles<\/span> (ICBMs)<\/span> intended<\/span> to<\/span> reach<\/span> the<\/span> mainland<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States,<\/span> and<\/span> launched<\/span> a<\/span> series<\/span> of<\/span> purportedly<\/span> simulated<\/span> nuclear<\/span> attacks<\/span> on<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> targets.<\/span> also<\/span> went<\/span> Pyongyang<\/span> says<\/span> its<\/span> stepped-up<\/span> nuclear<\/span> tests<\/span> are<\/span> aimed<\/span> at<\/span> countering<\/span> joint<\/span> military<\/span> exercises<\/span> by<\/span> rival<\/span> nations,<\/span> and<\/span> it<\/span> continues<\/span> to<\/span> use<\/span> this<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> pretext<\/span> to<\/span> expand<\/span> its<\/span> nuclear<\/span> arsenal.<\/span><\/p>\n

In<\/span> comments<\/span> released<\/span> by<\/span> North<\/span> Korean<\/span> state<\/span> media,<\/span> senior<\/span> military<\/span> official<\/span> Ri<\/span> Pyeong-chul<\/span> criticized<\/span> joint<\/span> US-South<\/span> Korea<\/span> military<\/span> drills<\/span> that<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> has<\/span> long<\/span> described<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> rehearsal<\/span> for<\/span> an<\/span> invasion.<\/span> He<\/span> said<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> considers<\/span> space<\/span> reconnaissance<\/span> “essential”<\/span> to<\/span> monitor<\/span> military<\/span> exercises.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Last<\/span> week,<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> and<\/span> US<\/span> forces<\/span> conducted<\/span> a<\/span> large-scale<\/span> fire<\/span> drill<\/span> near<\/span> the<\/span> border<\/span> with<\/span> North<\/span> Korea.<\/span> This<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> of<\/span> five<\/span> drills<\/span> to<\/span> mark<\/span> the<\/span> 70th<\/span> anniversary<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> alliance.<\/span> The<\/span> U.S.<\/span> and<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> governments<\/span> have<\/span> described<\/span> the<\/span> regular<\/span> military<\/span> exercises<\/span> as<\/span> defensive,<\/span> and<\/span> are<\/span> expanding<\/span> drills<\/span> from<\/span> 2022<\/span> to<\/span> address<\/span> evolving<\/span> threats<\/span> to<\/span> North<\/span> Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>Last<\/span> week,<\/span> South<\/span> Korea<\/span> launched<\/span> its<\/span> first<\/span> commercial-grade<\/span> satellite,<\/span> which<\/span> experts<\/span> say<\/span> could<\/span> provide<\/span> Seoul<\/span> with<\/span> key<\/span> technology<\/span> and<\/span> expertise<\/span> to<\/span> place<\/span> its<\/span> first<\/span> military<\/span> spy<\/span> satellite<\/span> into<\/span> orbit<\/span> later<\/span> this<\/span> year<\/span> and<\/span> build<\/span> more<\/span> powerful<\/span> missiles.<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> and<\/span> U.S.<\/span> forces<\/span> are<\/span> closely<\/span> monitoring<\/span> North<\/span> Korea<\/span> for<\/span> possible<\/span> satellite<\/span> launches<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> provocative<\/span> military<\/span> actions,<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> General<\/span> Staff<\/span> spokesman<\/span> Han<\/span> Sung-geun<\/span> said<\/span> at<\/span> a<\/span> news<\/span> conference.<\/span> He<\/span> declined<\/span> to<\/span> give<\/span> a<\/span> specific<\/span> assessment<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> potential<\/span> capabilities<\/span> of<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> satellites<\/span> and<\/span> declined<\/span> to<\/span> say<\/span> whether<\/span> the<\/span> South<\/span> Korean<\/span> military<\/span> is<\/span> prepared<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> possibility<\/span> of<\/span> debris<\/span> falling<\/span> into<\/span> nearby<\/span> waters.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> spy<\/span> satellite<\/span> is<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> series<\/span> of<\/span> high-tech<\/span> weapon<\/span> systems<\/span> that<\/span> Kim<\/span> Jong-un<\/span> has<\/span> claimed<\/span> to<\/span> develop.<\/span> Other<\/span> weapon<\/span> systems<\/span> on<\/span> his<\/span> wish<\/span> list<\/span> include<\/span> solid-fuel<\/span> intercontinental<\/span> ballistic<\/span> missiles,<\/span> nuclear<\/span> submarines,<\/span> hypersonic<\/span> missiles<\/span> and<\/span> multiple<\/span> warhead<\/span> missiles.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEOUL\u00a0(AP) \u2014 North Korea said Tuesday it would launch its first military spy satellite in June and described space-based reconnaissance as crucial for monitoring U.S\u00a0\u201creckless\u201d military exercises with South Korea. North Korea launched Earth observation satellites in 2012 and 2016, but their capabilities have been questioned. Foreign experts say the previous satellite never sent images […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7415,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[26,276,2436],"tags":[5660,546,5661,1551,5662,1552,5663,1556,5664,2169,5665,2574,5666,2579,2580,4211,4213,5655,5656,5657,5658,5659],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nkrea.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7413"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7416,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7413\/revisions\/7416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}