These are going to be great space based capabilities for the ROK once they are put into orbit by SpaceX:

South Korea has signed a contract with SpaceX to launch five spy satellites by 2025, with the first launch on a Falcon 9 rocket by the end of 2023. 

A spokeswoman for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed the deal April 11, saying the 2023 launch would deliver an 800-kilogram electro-optical infrared satellite to low Earth orbit.

“The deal was made to launch five satellites involved in the ‘425 project,’” DAPA spokeswoman Park Geun-young told SpaceNews, referring to a space-based reconnaissance project the defense ministry launched in 2018 for closer monitoring of North Korea’s military activities. Under the project, five satellites — four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and one featuring an electro-optical infrared (EO/IR) telescope — will be launched to low Earth orbit between 600 and 700 km by 2025, enabling South Korea’s military to observe the nuclear-armed neighbor’s key military facilities every two hours with 30-50 centimeters resolution imagery, according to a 2019 report produced by the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning. The spokeswoman declined to share the terms and conditions of the deal, as well as launch schedules for the other four satellites.

Space News via a reader tip

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It is widely expected that the North Korea is going to do a provocation of some kind on April 15th the birthday of the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung. It appears the U.S. military is sending a message beforehand in regards to any provocation:

The U.S. military on Wednesday revealed this week’s exercise with Japan in the East Sea involving a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, F-35C stealth jets and other key assets in a show of force amid concerns about possible North Korean provocations. 

In a Facebook post, the U.S. 7th Fleet showed photos depicting the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier, F-35Cs, an F/A-18E Super Hornet and E-2D Hawk Eye early warning aircraft engaging in the drills with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force on Tuesday.

Yonhap

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I would think the average young Korean male would be furious about the special treatment that celebrities would get with this bill. The celebrities that have already served in the ROK military have already been given largely special treatment as it is:

The ruling and opposition parties have discussed a need for swift review of a bill allowing K-pop superstar BTS and other prominent pop celebrities to substitute their mandatory military service for other public service, a lawmaker said Tuesday.

Rep. Sung Il-jong of the People Power Party, who serves as executive secretary for the parliamentary defense committee, told MBC radio that he and his Democratic Party counterpart recently discussed the need to swiftly review the bill pending in the National Assembly. 

“Since it is a matter related to fairness and national interest, I don’t think there will be any disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties,” Sung said.

Yonhap

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It really is only a question of how big of a provocation the North Koreans are prepared to launch later this week:

North Korea has ignored U.S. offers for talks and may be preparing a nuclear test to celebrate the birth of the nation’s founder, according to the U.S. State Department.

Pyongyang could test a nuclear weapon April 15, when the North will mark the 110th birthday of late leader Kim Il Sung, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, Sung Kim, told reporters Wednesday.

“I don’t want to speculate too much, but I think it could be another missile launch. It could be a nuclear test,” he said, according to a Thursday report by The Korea Times.

Stars & Stripes

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I would be surprised if Park shows up at Yoon’s inauguration considering how furious she probably still is about her imprisonment:

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol met with former President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday, telling her he was sorry over their erstwhile relationship surrounding a corruption probe of Park and inviting her to his inauguration ceremony.

“We talked about the president’s health,” Yoon told reporters after paying a visit to Park at her residence in her hometown of Daegu. “And we do have a history. I told her about my regret and that I felt sorry for her in my heart.”

Yonhap

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It appears South Korea is trying to pull a balancing act in regards to the current situation in Ukraine by only giving non-lethal aid to not upset the Russians too much, but still appear they are doing something to the rest of the global community:

South Korea’s Defense Minister Suh Wook has reiterated Seoul’s stance against the provision of any lethal arms to Ukraine during last week’s phone talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, his office said Monday.

Suh repeated the position in response to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov’s request for anti-aircraft weapons in their phone call on Friday.

“Suh had explained that there are limits in providing lethal weapon systems to Ukraine, given our security situation and its potential impact on our military’s readiness posture,” Boo Seung-chan, the spokesperson for the defense ministry, told a regular press briefing.

South Korea has provided Ukraine with non-lethal military supplies worth 1 billion won (US$804,100), such as bulletproof helmets and blankets, as well as medical items in March.

Yonhap

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