North Korea opens reconnaissance satellite operations office

North Korea's Reconnaissance Satellite Operations Office has begun operating as an independent military intelligence organization.

North Korea's reconnaissance satellite operation office, located at the Pyongyang General Control Center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA), began carrying out its mission on December 2, the North's central news agency KCNA reported on December 3.

"Information obtained through this task will be reported to the relevant standing executive organ of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and, according to instructions, will be provided to major units designated as war deterrent forces of the state and the Reconnaissance General Bureau of the Korean People's Army," according to KCNA.

North Korea announced the successful launch of its first military reconnaissance satellite on November 21. Pyongyang later said the satellite took pictures of US military bases, the White House, the Pentagon and “target areas” in South Korea, but has yet to release any images.

South Korean people watch news about North Korea's satellite launch at a train station in Seoul on November 22. Photo: AFP — South Korean people watch news about North Korea's satellite launch at a train station in Seoul on November 22. Photo: *AFP*

The US and its allies have condemned North Korea's satellite launch as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, which ban Pyongyang from conducting any launches using ballistic technology, such as satellite launches and missile tests. The US, Japan, South Korea and Australia on December 1 imposed additional sanctions on North Korea over the satellite launch.

In a December 3 KCNA article, an anonymous North Korean military commentator said that South Korea had broken the military confidence-building agreement between the two countries and that North Korea's launch of a reconnaissance satellite was similar to what many countries have done.

The commentator also said that South Korea's recent launch of its first military reconnaissance satellite had revealed its own contradictions.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched South Korea's first reconnaissance satellite into orbit on December 1 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. South Korea has signed a contract with the US company to launch five reconnaissance satellites by 2025 to accelerate its goal of 24-hour surveillance of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea said last month it would deploy stronger forces and new weapons to its border with South Korea, after Seoul partially suspended a 2018 military pact between the two countries in protest at Pyongyang's satellite launch.

Huyen Le (According to KCNA , Reuters )

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