South Korea to Launch First Spy Satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base on November 30th, Strengthening Defense Against North Korea

Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea plans to launch a total of five spy satellites by 2025 to enhance its independent space-based surveillance of North Korea in almost real-time.

South Korea plans to launch its first domestically built spy satellite on November 30th from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, carried by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The launch is a response to North Korea's expansion of its arsenal of nuclear weapons and failed attempts to launch its own reconnaissance satellite.
This launch is part of South Korea's contract with SpaceX to launch a total of five spy satellites by 2025, aiming to establish its own independent space-based surveillance system.
According to South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the country currently relies on U.S. spy satellites for military reconnaissance and does not possess any of its own.
The spy satellites will give South Korea the ability to monitor North Korean activities in almost real-time, strengthening the country’s overall defense against North Korea when combined with its existing pre-emptive strike, missile defense, and retaliatory assets.