South Korea has announced plans to launch its first domestically built spy satellite at the end of this month. The satellite will be used to better monitor North Korea, which is expanding its nuclear weapons arsenal. The announcement comes after North Korea’s failed attempt to launch its own reconnaissance satellite due to technical issues. South Korea’s military spy satellite will be launched from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base on November 30. The country plans to launch four more spy satellites by 2025 under a contract with SpaceX. Currently, South Korea relies on US spy satellites for surveillance of North Korea’s activities.
The possession of its own spy satellites will provide South Korea with an independent space-based surveillance system, allowing them to monitor North Korea almost in real time. The combination of the spy satellites with South Korea’s three-axis system (preemptive strike, missile defense, and retaliatory assets) will significantly strengthen the country’s overall defense against North Korea’s threat. South Korea aims to strengthen its defense capabilities by having its own spy satellites, as the US satellites are operated under US strategic objectives and sometimes do not share classified information with South Korea.
South Korea successfully launched a homegrown rocket last year to place a performance observation satellite in orbit, demonstrating its capability to launch heavier satellites. However, it requires more tests to ensure the rocket’s reliability. It is more cost-effective for South Korea to use SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to launch the spy satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base. On the other hand, North Korea has been unsuccessful in its attempts to launch its own spy satellite and is seeking technological assistance from Russia.
South Korea’s ambitious arms build-up plans include acquiring spy satellites, as announced by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2021. The country also aims to develop mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-powered submarines, hypersonic weapons, and multi-warhead missiles to counter US military threats. It is believed that North Korea is receiving technological assistance from Russia in its spy satellite launch program.
It is important for South Korea to have its own spy satellites to enhance its defense capabilities and monitor North Korean activities effectively.
