South Korea has launched its first military spy satellite into space using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, following North Korea’s recent claim to have successfully placed its own spy satellite into orbit, AP News reports.
The South Korean satellite is the first of five it plans to send into space by 2025 with the aim to establish an independent space-based surveillance system and enhance the military’s preemptive missile strike capability
This move follows North Korea’s claim of placing its Malligyong-1 spy satellite into orbit, which drew condemnation from the US and South Korea. The North Korean satellite launch has escalated tensions, with North Korea threatening to take unspecified steps against US spy satellites in response to perceived provocations.
