Kim Jong-un Observes Photos of 'Target Areas' Shot by North Korean Spy Satellites

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the National Aerospace Technology Agency to check the readiness of a reconnaissance satellite and view space photos in images released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on November 25, 2023.

North Korean state media reported Saturday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed photos of "key target areas" captured by the country's new spy satellite. The areas targeted include Seoul, the capital of South Korea and cities that are United States (US) military bases.

North Korea, which has nuclear weapons, launched a satellite on Tuesday, but South Korean officials and analysts said the satellite's capabilities had not been independently verified.

The state news agency, KCNA, reported that Kim examined the photos and captured imagery from several areas of North Korea during a visit to the National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) control center in Pyongyang on Thursday (23/11) .

According to KCNA, the photos were captured when a satellite passed over the peninsula on Friday (24/11) morning, which include photos of Seoul, as well as Mokpo, Kunsan, Pyeongtaek, Osan, where there are US and South Korean military bases .

"NATA reported to Kim Jong Un regarding plans to enshrine South Korea's puppet territory and the process of additional adjustments to surveillance satellites," the report said. The process will continue on Saturday.

"A number of senior diplomats from the United States (US), South Korea and Japan on Friday (24/11) strongly condemned the satellite launch (on November 21) for its destabilizing effects on the region," the US State Department said in a statement.

Earlier this week, KCNA said Kim saw images captured from above Guam, a US military installation in the Pacific region.

South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said on Thursday that North Korea had "exaggerated" by saying that Kim had seen satellite images of Guam.

"Even if the (North Korean reconnaissance) satellite enters normal orbit, it will take a long time for it to carry out normal reconnaissance functions," the South Korean defense minister was quoted as saying by Yonhap. [ft/pp]

Kim Jong-un Amati Foto-foto 'Wilayah Target' Hasil Bidikan Satelit Mata-mata Korut

25/11/2023

Reuters

Pemimpin Korea Utara Kim Jong-un mengunjungi Badan Teknologi Dirgantara Nasional untuk memeriksa kesiapan satelit pengintai dan melihat foto-foto luar angkasa dalam gambar yang dirilis oleh Kantor Berita Pusat Korea (KCNA) pada 25 November 2023.

Media pemerintah Korea Utara melaporkan, Sabtu (25/11), bahwa Pemimpin Korut Kim Jong Un mengamati foto-foto "wilayah-wilayah target utama" yang diabadikan oleh satelit mata-mata baru negara itu. Wilayah-wilayah yang menjadi target termasuk Seoul, ibu kota Korea Selatan dan kota-kota yang menjadi pangkalan militer Amerika Serikat (AS)

Korea Utara, yang memiliki senjata nuklir, meluncurkan satelit pada Selasa (21/11), tetapi para pejabat Korea Selatan dan analis mengatakan kemampuan satelit itu belum diverifikasi secara independen.

Kantor berita pemerintah, KCNA, melaporkan bahwa Kim memeriksa foto-foto itu dan citra yang diabadikan dari beberapa area di Korea Utara dalam kunjungan di pusat kontrol Badan Teknologi Antariksa Nasional (National Aerospace Technology Administration/NATA) di Pyongyang pada Kamis (23/11).

Menurut KCNA, Foto-foto itu diabadikan saat satelit melintas di atas semenanjung itu pada Jumat (24/11) pagi, yang meliputi foto-foto Seoul, dan juga Mokpo, Kunsan, Pyeongtaek, Osan, di mana terdapat pangkalan militer AS dan Korea Selatan.

"NATA melaporkan kepada Kim Jong Un mengenai rencana mengabadikan wilayah boneka Korea Selatan dan proses penyesuaian tambahan pada satelit pengintai," kata laporan tersebut. Proses tersebut akan berlanjut pada Sabtu.

"Sejumlah diplomat senior Amerika Serikat (AS), Korea Selatan, dan Jepang pada Jumat (24/11) mengutuk keras peluncuran satelit (pada 21 November) atas efek yang bisa mendestabilisasi wilayah itu," kata Departemen Luar Negeri AS dalam pernyataannya.

Awal pekan ini, KCNA mengatakan Kim melihat citra-citra yang diabadikan dari atas Guam, instalasi militer AS di kawasan Pasifik.

Menteri Pertahanan Korea Selatan Shin Won-sik mengatakan pada Kamis (23/11) bahwa Korea Utara telah "membesar-besarkan" dengan mengatakan bahwa Kim sudah melihat citra-citra satelit Guam.

"Meskipun satelit (pengintai Korut) itu memasuki orbit normal, akan butuh waktu lama untuk bisa menjalankan fungsi pengintaian normal," kata Menhan Korea Selatan seperti yang dikutip oleh Yonhap. [ft/pp]