Kim Jong-un Displays Satellite Photos of US Military Bases – North Korea Challenges Global Powers.
North Korea claims its leader, Kim Jong-un, has reviewed images of US military bases captured by a new spy satellite. According to The Independent, these bases are located in Hawaii and Seoul. The satellite was successfully launched into orbit on Tuesday, though South Korean defense officials and analysts have not yet independently verified its capabilities.
South Korea Doubts North Korea’s Satellite Images of US Bases
The South Korean Defense Minister expressed skepticism about North Korea’s claims of viewing US military installations through the satellite, calling them “exaggerated.” The Independent reports that Kim Jong-un inspected photos taken on Friday and Saturday of “important target regions,” including the US Naval Base Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. The satellite also captured images of several cities in South Korea, including Seoul, Mokpo, Kunsan, Pyeongtaek, and Osan, all hosting US and South Korean military bases.
A photo also showed the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson arriving in Busan on Tuesday. Kim Jong-un reportedly viewed photos of the cities Jinhae, Busan, Ulsan, Pohang, Daegu, and Gangneung as well. The National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) briefed Kim Jong-un on plans to photograph the region of the South Korean “puppets” and the additional fine-tuning process of the reconnaissance satellite.
North Korea Warns of Global Nuclear War
In a commentary, North Korea criticized the United States for supplying weapons to their “puppets” and warned of the consequences of a global nuclear war. Top diplomats from Japan, South Korea, and the USA condemned the satellite’s launch. Recently, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik stated that North Korea had exaggerated its claims and discussed the challenges of normal reconnaissance through satellites, as reported by The Independent.
Image: Mil.ru, Sergey Shoigu with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang (2023), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)