South Korea Launches Its First Spy Satellite After North Korea Does the Same

South Korea Launches Its First Spy Satellite After North Korea Does the Same
South Korea launches its first military spy satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2023. SpaceX via AP
The Associated Press
Updated:
0:00

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif.—South Korea launched its first military spy satellite into space Friday, a little over a week after North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time as tensions rise between the rivals.

Launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, it was the first of five spy satellites South Korea plans to send into space by 2025 under a contract with SpaceX. The event had been scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back because of weather conditions.