South Korea's Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the second South Korean-made reconnaissance satellite in its history will be launched into space by the US on Sunday, France Press reported, citing BTA.
Media reports that the launch will take place in the US on April 7 are "true," a ministry spokesman said, adding that further details would be released next week.
In December, South Korea confirmed the successful launch of its first military spy satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. of Elon Musk's company SpaceX. This reflects the intensification of the space race on the Korean Peninsula, notes AFP.
South Korea's new spacecraft is expected to lift off from the John F. Kennedy Space Center. in Florida, also aboard a rocket "Falcon-9" of the same company.
Seoul's first satellite provided authorities with high-resolution images of central Pyongyang, and its main mission is due to begin in June, according to Yonhap.
South Korea wants to launch a total of five spy satellites by 2025 to better monitor the North. They will allow it to monitor Pyongyang's key military infrastructure, receiving images every two hours, AFP notes.
For its part, North Korea said its spy satellite was in orbit and was providing it with pictures of the US base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, as well as "important targets" in South Korea.