Watch North Korea, South Korea Budgets IDR 19.4 Trillion For Spy Satellite Investments

Satellite image of the Sinpo shipyard, North Korea. (Source: Google Maps Screenshot)

JAKARTA - The South Korean government plans to spend 1.6 trillion won, or around IDR 19,482,576,512,000 by 2030, to develop advanced spy satellites and rocket technology, to improve its surveillance network, along with North Korea's nuclear and missile development.

The move came after guidelines agreed by South Korea and its security ally the United States that had restricted Seoul's ballistic missile development for decades were scrapped in May.

South Korea, in close coordination with the United States, detected preparations that had been made in North Korea ahead of a military parade in Pyongyang Thursday morning, citing Kyodo News, Friday, September 10.

Despite being able to 'eavesdrop' on communications, South Korea continues to rely on the United States for intelligence gathering via spy satellites. The country aims to be able to carry out constant surveillance of its neighbor, North Korea, using its own microsatellite.

South Korean military missile illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/촬영 - )

According to an investment plan announced by the country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration last week, following the lifting of the guidelines, South Korea could now develop satellite-launching rockets that rely on solid fuel, which are easier to handle than liquid fuel and require a simpler rocket design.

Ginseng Country has expressed its desire to develop low-cost and high-precision satellite launch technology so that it can earnestly develop into the space industry.

The government has allocated 18.5 billion won under an investment plan to develop advanced sensors installed on satellites for infrared observations of the earth's surface.

Such sensors would have a resolution of at least 50 percent higher than those installed on existing satellites operated overseas, according to local media.

Illustration of a satellite image of a North Korean submarine base. (Wikimedia Commons/Wapster)

In addition to spy satellites and rocket launchers, South Korea has also entered the final stages of developing domestically-made ballistic missile technology capable of carrying a warhead of up to 3 tons, and capable of reaching targets as far as 350-400 kilometers.

In the defense blueprint for 2022-2026, the Ministry of Defense said it would develop new missiles with significantly increased destructive power, upgrade missile defense systems and deploy new interceptors against long-range artillery.

"We will develop more powerful, long-range and more precise missiles to carry out deterrence and achieve security and peace on the Korean Peninsula", South Korea's Defense Ministry said in a statement, quoting by Reuters.

The newly developed ballistic missile is said to be capable of a range of 350-400 kilometers with a warhead of up to 3 tons, designed to destroy underground facilities such as those believed to be used by North Korea to store nuclear weapons, Yonhap reported, citing unnamed sources.