With its new spy satellite, which it had claimed would be used to monitor US and South Korean forces, North Korea claims to have taken pictures of the White House and other critical US military locations.
Pyongyang said that Kim Jong-un, the leader of the nation, has examined satellite images of US military and government buildings in “major target regions,” including the Pentagon and even the White House itself, in remarks reported by the state-run Korean Central Media Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday.
The source stated that “Respected Comrade Kim Jong-un expressed great satisfaction with the successful progress of the operational preparation project for the soon-to-be-launched reconnaissance satellite, Manrikyeong-1.” It also stated that the satellite had taken pictures of parts of Italy’s capital, Rome, two naval bases, the US Andersen Air Force Base in the Pacific island of Guam, and an airfield in Virginia.
In addition, KCNA stated that the photos shot over Virginia included “four US Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and one British aircraft carrier captured.”
Officials from South Korea stated that Pyongyang had not made the disputed photographs public and that they were unable to confirm the allegations.
The existence of such satellite images cannot be verified, according to an unidentified US National Security Council spokesperson who spoke to Bloomberg. However, the spokesperson denounced last week’s North Korean spy craft launch, claiming it violated UN Security Council resolutions opposing the DPRK’s ballistic missile programme.
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The satellite launch was announced by Pyongyang last week, and Kim stated that it signalled the beginning of a “new era of space power” and the “full-fledged exercise of the right of self-defense” for his nation. Just one day later, the North Korean government claimed to have already seen images of US military installations and parts of the capital city of South Korea. After two unsuccessful attempts in May and August, the successful launch is said to have occurred.
Seoul replied to the launch by partially suspending a 2018 military de-escalation deal with the North and resumed surveillance flights close to the border between the two Koreas. Washington has consistently criticised North Korea’s expanding satellite programme. The Defence Ministry of North Korea then declared that the agreement had been completely terminated and threatened to make South Korea pay a heavy price for its “reckless” choice to break the terms of the accord.
