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Military Reconnaissance Satellite No. 5 Successfully Launched, Marking the Final Phase of the 425 Project

Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea

2025-11-17

Operates in a constellation with satellites No. 1-4.
Enables independent, 24-hour surveillance across the Korean Peninsula.
Bolsters the core capabilities of the ROK 3K Defense.

South Korea's fifth military reconnaissance satellite is launched from the US Space Force base at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Nov. 2 (local time).

With this launch, the South Korean military made a major advance in establishing independent surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities across the Korean Peninsula. The successful communication of the fifth satellite with the ground station marks substantial progress in the 425 Project, which aims to secure a medium- to large-scale reconnaissance satellite system—a key element of the Kill Chain under the ROK 3K Defense.

The Ministry of National Defense announced that the fifth military reconnaissance satellite, launched from the US Space Force base at Cape Canaveral, Florida, successfully communicated with a ground station at 3:09 p.m. on the same day. This milestone enables the military to establish an independent, all-weather, around-the-clock surveillance and reconnaissance capability over the entire Korean Peninsula through constellation operations with satellites No. 1 to No. 4 currently in service.

The 425 Project aims to detect early signs of North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations and to enhance reconnaissance capabilities for monitoring strategic targets deep inside enemy territory. The project consists of one Electro-Optical and Infrared (EO/IR) satellite (No. 1) and four Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites (Nos. 2-5). The name "425 Project" comes from Korean pronunciations: "SAR" sounds like "sa" (4) and "EO" like "i-o" (25).

Led by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the project involves an investment of about KRW 1.3 trillion from 2015 to 2027. Satellite No. 1 was launched in December 2023 and has been in operation since August 2024. Satellites No. 2 and No. 3, launched in April and December of the following year respectively, began operations in June and July 2025. Satellite No. 4, launched in April 2025, is currently undergoing operational tests, with results pending.

The military reconnaissance satellites have greatly improved deep-area surveillance capabilities compared with existing aerial systems, enabling continuous monitoring of North Korean provocations and imagery collection along the border.

Military experts assess that, in a global environment where security domains are expanding into space, reconnaissance satellites not only strengthen national defense space capabilities but also lay the foundation for establishing South Korea as a space power through the accumulation of indigenous satellite development experience. Furthermore, they noted that the 425 Project carries significant importance as it represents the realization of South Korea's first military reconnaissance satellite dedicated to military missions, as well as the nation's first development and operation of a constellation satellite system.

By Byeong-No, Yun <trylover@dema.mil.kr >