North Korea’s Kim inspects new spy satellite photos of ‘target regions’, US bases

SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected photos taken by the country’s new spy satellite of “major target regions”, state media reported on Nov 25, including the South Korean capital of Seoul and cities that host United States military bases.

Nuclear-armed North Korea

launched the satellite on Nov 21,

but South Korea’s defence officials and analysts said its capabilities have not been independently verified.

Mr Kim examined photos of Seoul and other cities, including Mokpo, Kunsan, Pyeongtaek and Osan, where American and South Korean military bases are located. The photos were taken as the satellite passed over the peninsula on the morning of Nov 24, state news agency KCNA said.

Mr Kim examined the photos, as well as images of some areas within North Korea, during a visit on Nov 24 to the control centre of the National Aerospace Technology Administration (Nata) in Pyongyang.

On Nov 25, Mr Kim visited the control centre again to examine more photos taken early in the morning of different target regions in South Korea: Jinhae, Busan, Ulsan, Pohang, Daegu and Gangneung.

One photo showed US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which arrived at a port in the South Korean city of Busan on Nov 21, KCNA said.

During the visit, Mr Kim also inspected photos of US Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base taken by the satellite as it passed over Hawaii on Nov 25.

In a separate commentary carried by KCNA on Nov 25, Pyongyang criticised Washington for providing advanced weapons to its “puppets”, saying that even a small spark on the Korean peninsula would result in a global nuclear war.

“The United States had better ponder on the catastrophic consequences that would be brought by its weapons supplies to puppets,” KCNA said.

The top diplomats of the US, South Korea and Japan

spoke on Nov 24 and “strongly condemned the (Nov 21) launch for its destabilising effect on the region”, the US State Department said in a statement.

Singapore on Nov 25 said the launch violates United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea from any launch using ballistic missile technology.

“This latest provocation by the DPRK raises tensions on the Korean peninsula and jeopardises peace, security, and stability in the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, referring to the North by its official name of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“We strongly urge the DPRK not to proceed with any plans for further satellite launches,” it added.

KCNA had, earlier in the week, said Mr Kim viewed images taken above the US Pacific territory of Guam of US military installations.

South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik said on Nov 23 that North Korea had “exaggerated” by saying Mr Kim had already viewed images of Guam.

“Even if it enters normal orbit, it takes a considerable time to carry out normal reconnaissance,” Yonhap quoted him as saying at the time. REUTERS