Anchor: South Korea’s fourth domestically developed military spy satellite was launched from a U.S. space base in Florida on Monday. Carried on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, it successfully entered orbit.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: 
[Sound bite: Falcon 9 launch (April 21/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)]
“Three, two, one. Ignition. Engine is on full power, and liftoff.”
“Go, Falcon! Go, Bandwagon-3!”

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying South Korea’s fourth reconnaissance satellite lifted off at 8:48 p.m. Monday, local time, from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. 

[Sound bite: Falcon 9 launch (April 21/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station)]
“Fairing separation confirmed.”

The satellite entered orbit some 15 minutes after liftoff and succeeded in communicating with a ground station.

This is the fourth military satellite South Korea has sent into space.

The synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, satellite can travel around the Earth four to six times every day, enabling it to better monitor North Korean weapons facilities to ward off an attack. 

The defense ministry said it intends to integrate the new satellite into its existing three-pillar system, which consists of a preemptive strike system called the Kill Chain, along with the Korean Air and Missile Defense system and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan.

The military plans to deploy five spy satellites by the end of this year, aiming to reduce its reliance on U.S. satellite imagery while closely monitoring North Korea.

The country launched its first spy satellite in December 2023 before launching a second last April and a third in December.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.