SEOUL, November 22. /TASS/. North Korea’s first Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite launched into orbit will start its full-fledged operation on December 1 after its flight fine-tuning, the state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the country’s space center where he viewed the satellite’s operation, the news agency said.
"The DPRK’s National Aerospace Development Administration reported to comrade Kim Jong-un that the reconnaissance satellite will start accomplishing assigned reconnaissance missions from December 1, after 7-10 days of fine-tuning," the news agency reported.
In addition, the North Korean leader viewed images received at 9:21 a.m. local time that were made over Guam Island where US military bases, including Andersen Air Force base, are located, it said.
Kim Jong-un approved the space agency’s proposal on submitting a plan to the upcoming party plenum on creating the potential of aerospace surveillance of South Korea and the Pacific region. The country’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea will examine this issue and define a 2024 plan for the launch of reconnaissance satellites, it said.
On November 21, North Korea reported successfully orbiting the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite atop a Chollima-1 carrier rocket. The state news agency KCNA reported earlier that the country’s space agency was set to submit a plan for the launch of satellites "in the near term."