North Korea has announced that one of its goals for 2024 is to launch three additional military reconnaissance satellites in order to bolster its military capabilities and keep an eye on enemy forces, according to state media KCNA on Sunday.
The report stated, “Based on the experience of successfully launching and operating the first reconnaissance satellite in 2023, the task of launching three additional reconnaissance satellites in 2024 was declared to vigorously promote the development of space science and technology.”
North Korea claimed to have successfully launched its first military spy satellite on Nov. 21, which reportedly transmitted photos of the White House, the Pentagon, U.S. military bases, and “target regions” in South Korea.
This successful launch followed two failed attempts the previous year, when its new Chollima-1 rocket crashed into the sea, raising regional tensions and prompting fresh sanctions from the U.S., Australia, Japan and South Korea.
Pyongyang has not released any imagery from the new satellite, leading analysts and foreign governments to speculate about its capabilities.
(Reporting by Cynthia Kim and Josh Smith; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
