ANKARA 

South Korea launched its fourth homegrown military spy satellite, which successfully entered orbit, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday, citing a Defense Ministry statement.

The satellite was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US state of Florida, it said.

The launch was part of South Korea’s plan to deploy five satellites by the end of this year to expand surveillance of North Korean military activities and help reduce its dependence on US satellite imagery.

South Korea launched its first spy satellite in December 2023, equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors capable of capturing detailed images. It launched two more satellites last year.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid