North Korea released photos of what it claims was a successful launch of the Malligyong-1 military reconnaissance satellite late Tuesday.

Images provided by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Wednesday showed that the launch occurred on a new launch pad at the Sohae satellite launching facility in Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province.

There were also various images of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observing the exhaust from the Chollima-1 launch vehicle, looking up into the sky, and cheering with workers around him. Neither his daughter nor sister were not seen in the photos.

The external characteristics of the vehicle seemed to resemble those of vehicles used in the North's first and second failed attempts in May and in August, respectively, with the same clustering of multiple engines discerned by the images of flames.

The Chollima-1 was launched at 10:42 p.m. Tuesday, earlier than the North's pre-announced time frame between Wednesday and the end of the month.

The KCNA said the launch vehicle successfully placed the satellite into orbit at 10:54 p.m.

[Photo : YONHAP News]