Customers sit near a television showing a news broadcast at a restaurant in Seoul on November 21, 2023, after North Korea fired what it claims is a military spy satellite, Seoul鈥檚 armed forces said on November 21, hours after Japan confirmed that Pyongyang had warned it of an imminent launch. (Photo by Anthony WALLACE / AFP)
Seoul, South Korea 鈥斅燦orth Korea said Wednesday it had succeeded in putting a military spy satellite in orbit after two previous failures, as the US led its allies in condemning the launch as a 鈥渂razen violation鈥� of UN sanctions.
A rocket carrying the satellite blasted off Tuesday night from North Phyongan province, flew along its designated path and 鈥渁ccurately put the reconnaissance satellite 鈥楳alligyong-1鈥� on its orbit,鈥� state-run news agency KCNA reported.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was on hand to witness the blastoff and congratulated the scientists and technicians behind the mission, it added.
The United States quickly condemned the launch as a 鈥渂razen violation鈥� of UN sanctions and said it could destabilize the region.
搁贰础顿:听Rival Koreas race to launch first spy satellites this month
South Korea reacted by saying it would resume surveillance operations along the border with North Korea that had been suspended in 2018 as part of a Seoul-Pyongyang agreement to reduce military tensions, the Yonhap news agency reported.
North Korea鈥檚 previous efforts to put a spy satellite into orbit in May and August both failed. Seoul, Tokyo and Washington had repeatedly warned Pyongyang not to proceed with another launch, which would violate successive rounds of UN resolutions.
Space launch rockets and ballistic missiles have significant technological overlap, experts say, but different payloads, and UN resolutions bar Pyongyang from any tests involving ballistic technology.
Seoul鈥檚 spy agency this month said Pyongyang appeared to have received technical advice from Russia in return for sending at least 10 shipments of weapons for Moscow鈥檚 war in Ukraine.
KCNA said after this mission that 鈥渢he launch of reconnaissance satellite is a legitimate right of the DPRK for strengthening its self-defensive capabilities鈥� as the country confronts what it calls threats from South Korea and the United States. DPRK (Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea) is the official name for North Korea.
搁贰础顿:听North Korea notifies Japan of satellite launch plan between Nov 22 and Dec 1
The North will launch more satellites soon to step up its surveillance capability on South Korea, the Yonhap news agency said, apparently quoting the Korean-language version of KCNA.
South Korea鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was analyzing the launch and did not confirm if the satellite had in fact been placed in orbit.
鈥淣orth Korea鈥檚 military satellite launch constitutes a provocative act that blatantly violates the UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting its use of ballistic missile technology as well as scientific and technological cooperation,鈥� the JCS said in a text message to reporters.
鈥楥onfidence in success鈥�
Seoul has been saying for weeks that Pyongyang was in the final stages of preparation to launch another spy satellite, warning it would take 鈥渘ecessary measures鈥� if it went ahead.
The North鈥檚 May attempt failed due to the 鈥渁bnormal鈥� startup of its second-stage engine, and the August bid was due to an error in the 鈥渆mergency blasting system鈥� during the third-stage flight, according to Pyongyang state media at the time.
Tuesday鈥檚 鈥渓aunch that came hours before its time window notification seems to underscore two things: Pyongyang鈥檚 confidence in success and intention to maximize surprise factor to the outside world,鈥� Choi Gi-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University, told AFP.
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in September after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that his nation could help Pyongyang build satellites.
Seoul and Washington have both subsequently claimed Pyongyang has been shipping weapons to Russia, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warning this month that military ties between North Korea and Russia were 鈥済rowing and dangerous.鈥�
Successfully putting a spy satellite into orbit would improve North Korea鈥檚 intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly over South Korea, and provide crucial data in any military conflict, experts say.
North Korea has conducted a record number of weapons tests this year.
Seoul, Washington and Tokyo have ramped up their defense cooperation in response, and on Tuesday, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, arrived at South Korea鈥檚 Busan Naval Base.