North Korea Successfully Launches Spy Satellite with Likely Russian Assistance

Launch escalates regional tensions, prompting South Korea to suspend a 2018 agreement and North Korea to threaten deployment of more powerful border weapons.

North Korea has successfully launched a spy satellite, likely with Russian assistance, according to South Korean officials.
The launch has escalated regional tensions, with both Koreas threatening to breach a past reconciliation deal and taking hostile actions along their border.
In response to the launch, South Korea has partially suspended a 2018 agreement to reduce tensions with North Korea and will resume flying surveillance aircraft and drones along their border.
North Korea's Defense Ministry has responded by saying it will deploy more powerful weapons at the border in a tit-for-tat measure.
This is North Korea's first successful satellite launch after two failed attempts earlier this year.