South Korea expected to launch a military satellite
South Korea to launch a second military surveillance satellite today.
The first satellite was launched this past December. The satellite will be launched in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The successful launch of this satellite will allow South Korea to receive high resolution images of North Korea at two hour intervals, and bolsters their ability to keep tabs on the DPRK as they continue to build their own capacity for surveillance. This also comes after North Korea’s successful November launch of a spy satellite with the alleged aid of Russian resources.
Pyongyang also plans to launch three more satellites during 2024.
In the short term, the satellite will be symbolic of continued bilateral collaboration efforts between the US and South Korea to deter North Korean satellite launches on the Korean peninsula. This effort to race for space reconnaissance capability is also a microcosm of President Yoon’s more hawkish stance on North Korea. South and North Korea have entered a modern arms race, as President Yoon has stepped up efforts to aggressively counter the North, and Supreme Leader Kim has bolstered military capabilities and added spy-satellites to the country’s repertoire. Expect general relations between North and South Korea to further deteriorate at a faster rate.
