South Korea to launch 5th military spy satellite

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea said Friday that it will launch its fifth military spy satellite from a US space base this weekend.

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spy satellite is set to launch around 1 am Sunday US time (0500GMT) from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the Defense Ministry.

The satellite is the fifth and final military satellite to be launched under the country'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.

"Operating a total of five reconnaissance satellites in a cluster will enable a faster and more accurate detection of signs of North Korea's provocations," the ministry said.

After all five satellites are in orbit, the country is expected to be able to monitor North Korea every two hours.

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