South Korea has concluded that Russian support likely enabled North Korea to put a spy satellite into orbit for the first time this week, and it should be clear in several days whether it is functioning properly, officials said Thursday. In a closed-door briefing, South Korea's spy agency cited Vladimir Putin's earlier mention of a promise to support North Korea's satellite program. The National Intelligence Service said it also obtained intelligence that North Korea had sent Russia the design and other data for its new "Chollima-1" rocket used in the two previous failed launches. The intelligence showed that Russia returned its analysis of the North Korean data, according to lawmaker Yoo Sang-bum, who attended the NIS briefing.
Tuesday's launch was the third attempt to get the "Malligyong-1" satellite into orbit; two earlier attempts in May and August failed due to technical problems with the rocket. There has been speculation that Russia is providing technological support for North Korea's satellite program since Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to meet Putin in September, reports the AP. The Kim-Putin summit was held at Russia's main space launch center, and when asked whether Russia would help North Korea build and launch satellites, Putin told Russian state media "that's why we have come here. ... The (North Korean) leader shows keen interest in rocket technology. They're trying to develop space, too."
The US, South Korea, and Japan accuse North Korea of seeking to obtain high-tech Russian military technologies in return for supplying conventional arms for Russia's war in Ukraine. Both Russia and North Korea have denied the alleged deal. North Korea said its Malligyong-1 satellite will begin its official mission on Dec. 1. But it said the satellite has already transmitted images of military facilities in the US territory of Guam and that Kim saw them. North Korea hasn't released the images, and many foreign experts are skeptical about the satellite's ability to take high-resolution images. UN Security Council resolutions ban any satellite launches by North Korea, viewing them as disguised tests of long-range missile technology.
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In response to the satellite launch, South Korea said it has partially suspended a 2018 agreement to reduce tensions with North Korea and will resume flying surveillance aircraft and drones along their border. North Korea's Defense Ministry slammed the decision Thursday, saying it will deploy more powerful weapons at the border in a tit-for-tat measure. "From now on, our army will never be bound by the September 19 North-South Military Agreement," it said in a statement, per NBC News. A US State Department rep called South Korea's decision a "prudent and restrained response," noting that the restoration of surveillance and reconnaissance activities will heighten the country's ability to monitor North Korean threats.
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