Russia allegedly helped North Korea put its controversial spy satellite into orbit. This allegation was shared by analysts after South Korean officials announced that NoKor launched its surveillance orbital aircraft.
On Wednesday, North Korea claimed that its spy satellite entered orbit, claiming that the third attempt was a success. If NoKor's spy satellite is already active, then it would be a big deal for South Korea.
Russia's reportedly playing a major part in this surveillance enhancement could also worsen tensions between it and the U.S., as well as Western allies.
Russia Allegedly Helped North Korea's Spy Satellite
The Russian government is believed to have helped North Korea upgrade its launch capabilities. Analysts claim that Russia's launch enhancement assistance also helped Pyongyang successfully put its spy satellite into orbit.
"It's possible that Russian scientists discussed the results of the failure analysis and verified the data," explained Korea Research Institute for National Strategy's Missile Center Head Chang Young-keun via Nikkei Asia.
Asan Institute for Policy Studies' principal fellow Cha Du-hyeon also said that instructions on the "know-how" of assembling spacecraft components were provided by Russian engineers to North Korea.
The analysts also claimed that Russia could have provided support on the software end. Meanwhile, other experts believe that Russia also provided advice on stage preparation.
"They gave advice on stage separation," said retired Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Vice Admiral Yoji Koda.
What To Know About NoKor's Spy Satellite
Although North Korea is very secretive regarding the real capabilities of its controversial spy satellite, many experts familiar with the tech shared what they know so far.
CNN World reported that some analysts claim that the surveillance satellite can drastically enhance the military capabilities of the Asian nation. For example, the spy spacecraft can allow North Korea to target opponents more accurately.
Aside from this, other experts said that the spy satellite can capture images of critical bases in the U.S., Japan, and other countries; sending super-HD photos to Pyongyang.
Another benefit that the spy satellite can bring to North Korea is conducting damage assessments during a war. These are just some of the possible capabilities that the advanced North Korean spy satellite has.
You can click this link to learn more about this controversial surveillance technology.
