South Korea delays its own spy satellite lift-off

Kim Jong Un watches a Korth Korean rocket take off. File pic/AP

South Korea has postponed the planned launch of its first military spy satellite set for this Thursday, officials said, days after rival North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time.

Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea is to launch five spy satellites by 2025, and its first launch using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket had been scheduled to take place at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base in the US. The South Korean Defence Ministry said the launch was delayed due to weather conditions. The launch was tentatively rescheduled for this Saturday but it isn't a fixed date.

South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and partially resorts to US spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea. After two launch failures this year, North Korea said it placed its "Malligyong-1" spy satellite into orbit on November 21. South Korea confirmed it entered orbit.

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