Pedestrians walk past a screen displaying the launch of North Korea's reconnaissance satellite "Malligyong-1," in the Akihabara district of Tokyo on Nov. 22, 2023. (Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP, Getty Images/TNS)
(Tribune News Service) — North Korea claimed its first spy satellite, which was launched into orbit this month, has taken photos of the White House, Pentagon and nearby U.S. naval stations.
The prominent U.S. sites add to a list of areas North Korea claims to have photographed using its reconnaissance probe that was launched into space last week. The state’s official media said leader Kim Jong Un has seen the latest images along with previous photos of Rome, Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, Pearl Harbor and the U.S Navy’s Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.
South Korea salvaged one of North Korea’s spy satellites after a failed launch earlier this year and concluded the technology had little military value. While Seoul believes any North Korea satellite would be rudimentary at best, such technology could help Kim’s regime in its targeting as it steps up its ability to deliver a nuclear strike.
North Korea had said the satellite would formally start its reconnaissance mission from Dec. 1 after some fine-tuning, but the official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday: “the fine-tuning process of the satellite is being hastened to end one or two days earlier.”
There has been no confirmation from the outside world on whether the satellite is operational, and North Korea has yet to release any images to the outside world taken by its new satellite.
North Korea has a history of bluster when it comes to satellite claims. Under the leadership of Kim Jong Il — the father of the current leader — North Korea said it had placed a satellite into orbit that was playing revolutionary songs, only to have Washington say the probe was likely at the bottom of the sea.
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