South Korea boosts surveillance after North launches spy satellite.

After North Korea ignored warnings from the United States and launched a spy satellite, South Korea took the unprecedented step on Wednesday of suspending a portion of a defense deal that was set to take effect in 2018.

As a result of the agreement being suspended, South Korea would increase the military monitoring it conducts along the heavily fortified border with the North.

North Korea announced on Tuesday that it has successfully launched its first spy satellite into space. State-run media published photographs showing what seemed to be North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observing the flaming launch of a rocket from a launch pad.
After that, Kim received a briefing on the functioning of the satellite at the control center of the space agency in Pyongyang. He also examined photographs shot over the United States territory of Guam of several United States military sites, including the Andersen Air Force Base, according to the North’s KCNA news agency.

According to the report, Kim emphasized the importance of deploying additional reconnaissance satellites in various orbits to provide his armed forces with “abundant valuable real-time information about the enemy” and “further promote their responsive posture.”

According to KCNA, the satellite was scheduled to begin its surveillance mission on December 1 after undergoing specific changes.

According to South Korea’s military, North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite has successfully entered orbit; however, it will take some time to determine whether or not it is functioning correctly.

Earlier, the Pentagon stated that the United States military was analyzing the launch to see whether or not it was successful. Adrienne Watson, a United States National Security Council spokesman, referred to the launch as “a brazen violation of multiple resolutions” of the United Nations Security Council.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told Reuters that data from the United States Space Force had recorded two new objects in an orbital plane compatible with the launch from North Korea at the time given by the North. McDowell works at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

“I conclude the objects are the spy satellite and the rocket upper stage,” claimed the scientist.

Despite this, South Korea’s Minister of Defense, Shin Won-sik, stated in a radio interview on Wednesday that the North “exaggerated” when they claimed that Kim Jong-un had received photographs of United States military sites on Guam and that the satellite would not begin its reconnaissance mission until December 1.

Even if it reaches a regular orbit, conventional reconnaissance still takes a significant amount of time. Kim Jong Un appeared to be in such a good mood that he went slightly beyond… According to Yonhap, Shin stated that taking photographs of Guam on the first day is impossible because of the limitations imposed by satellite technology.

Shin has stated that it won’t be possible to determine the status of the satellite’s operation until at least the weekend.

During his official visit to the United Kingdom, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol consented to suspending a portion of the deal reached with North Korea. Earlier, Yoon presided over a National Security Council meeting that was held via video connection and included many ministries and the head of intelligence.

The Comprehensive Military Agreement between North and South Korea was signed at a summit in 2018 between the then-president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, and the leader of the North, Kim. The purpose of the agreement was to reduce the level of tension that existed between the two countries.

The capacity of South Korea to monitor the North near the border is reported to have been hampered as a result of the arrangement, according to critics, while North Korea has breached the agreement.

The South Korean government said that it would suspend a condition in the agreement and resume aircraft monitoring in the area close to the border.

DEMONSTRATION OF FORCE
In a show of force in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the United States nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe landed at a South Korean port on Wednesday, one day after the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier arrived in the region.

During his visit to the carrier, South Korea’s Minister of Defense, Shin Won-sik, they stated that maritime drills with the United States and Japan would be scheduled to demonstrate their “strong will” to respond to any provocation from North Korea, according to his office.

A representative for the United Nations stated that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres encouraged North Korea to fully comply with United Nations resolutions, which prohibit the country’s use of technologies that may be used for ballistic missile programs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, North Korea’s most important ally, has requested all involved parties to guarantee peace and stability.

According to KCNA, the Malligyong-1 satellite was placed into orbit at 10:54 p.m. (1354 GMT) on Tuesday after being propelled into space by a Chollima-1 rocket at 10:42 p.m. (1342 GMT). The launch took place at the Sohae satellite launch complex.

After two previous unsuccessful attempts to put what it referred to as spy satellites into orbit this year, North Korea informed Japan that it would be launching a satellite.

CONNECTION WITH RUSSIA
The launch on Tuesday was the first of its kind since September, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Russian space center. During their meeting, Putin committed to assist North Korea in constructing satellites.

Officials from South Korea have stated that Russia was most certainly involved in the launch in some capacity as part of a developing collaboration between the two countries that has seen North Korea provide Russia with millions of artillery rounds.

If I recall well, the first and second efforts failed due to engine troubles. This time around, the most notable characteristic is the accomplishments of the engine… According to Shin, South Korea’s Defense Minister, this demonstrates that Putin’s offer of assistance back in August was not a ruse.

On the other hand, some missile specialists have stated that it was too soon for Russian technological support to have been completely incorporated into either the satellite or the rocket and that Russia would not have provided compassionate and patented knowledge.

“This consultation may not have been an in-depth involvement in the design, but likely targeted specific challenging aspects within North Korea’s planned design,” said Hong Min, an expert on the North’s weapons at the Korea Institute for National Unification. Hong Min is quoted as follows: “This consultation likely targeted specific challenging aspects within North Korea’s planned design.”

Russia and North Korea have denied that they are involved in any arms agreement but have committed to further collaboration.

The launch took place a little more than a week before South Korea expects to launch its first spy satellite into orbit on a rocket that will be controlled by the American corporation Orbit X.