Faced with increasing nuclear and other missile threats by the North, South Korea is considering leasing a reconnaissance satellite from Israel or other foreign countries to independently obtain information on North Korea's military activities, according to a Korean military official cited this week by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Israel launched its latest Ofek spy satellite last month.
The government in Seoul has heavily relied on reconnaissance satellites operated by the United States when it comes to core military information involving the North's nuclear and missile-related moves, according to the Ministry of National Defense. A ministry official said the military "is years behind the defense ministry's original schedule to deploy five surveillance satellites between 2021 and 2022 as part of the country's "kill chain" strike system to deal with missile threats from the North."