North Korea’s recent launch of a purported spy satellite has ignited global concerns as reports suggest the surveillance apparatus has been sending images of prominent American landmarks, including the White House and Pentagon, directly to Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
The regime claimed its initial spy satellite, launched last week, successfully captured photographs of strategic US locations, expanding the list of areas allegedly surveilled by North Korea’s reconnaissance probe. Alongside images of the White House and Pentagon, the state’s official media revealed that leader Kim Jong Un reviewed previous photos encompassing Rome, Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, Pearl Harbor, and the US Navy’s Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.
While South Korea recovered one of North Korea’s previous spy satellites following an unsuccessful launch earlier this year, assessments concluded the technology held minimal military significance. However, concerns persist that even rudimentary satellite technology could aid Kim’s regime in refining its targeting capabilities, particularly in the context of advancing its nuclear strike capabilities.
Despite North Korea’s announcement that the satellite’s formal reconnaissance mission would commence on December 1 following adjustments, the Korean Central News Agency disclosed that the fine-tuning process is expedited, hinting at an accelerated operational start.
To date, there has been no external confirmation or release of images taken by North Korea’s satellite. The White House National Security Council responded, expressing an inability to independently verify the North Korean claims. They condemned the launch, citing it as a breach of several United Nations Security Council resolutions due to its utilization of ballistic missile technology.
North Korea has a history of making grandiose claims about its satellite capabilities. During the leadership of Kim Jong Il, the country purportedly deployed a satellite playing revolutionary songs into orbit, though international authorities contested this, suggesting the probe had likely failed and submerged at sea.
Amidst the lack of external confirmation, global concerns heighten regarding North Korea’s alleged satellite surveillance capabilities and their potential implications for international security.
Sources By Agencies
