South Korea to launch 4th military reconnaissance satellite this week

ANKARA

South Korea said Monday that it plans to launch its fourth military reconnaissance satellite from a US space base this week to better monitor North Korean threats.

The country is scheduled to launch the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 8.48 p.m. Monday US time, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing he Ministry of National Defense.

The launch will be part of South Korea’s plan to deploy five satellites by the end of this year to expand surveillance of North Korean military activities and help reduce its dependence on US satellite imagery.

South Korea launched its first spy satellite in December 2023, equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors capable of capturing detailed images. It launched two more last year.

"If the fourth military reconnaissance satellite is successfully launched...it will be possible to detect signs of North Korean provocations more accurately and quickly," the ministry said in a statement.

The fifth satellite, which will also be equipped with SAR sensors, is scheduled to be launched later this year.

*Writing by Aamir Latif