N. Korea says spy satellite took photos of White House, Pentagon, key US naval base

This photo, captured from North Korea's Central TV, Nov. 23, shows the Pyongyang General Control Center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration in Pyongyang. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the center, Nov. 21, observing the alleged successful launch of the military reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1. North Korea fired a rocket carrying the satellite in Tongchang-ri in northwestern North Korea at 10:42 p.m. on the day. Yonhap

North Korea said Tuesday the country's military spy satellite has taken photos of the White House, the Pentagon and nuclear aircraft carriers docked at a U.S. naval base.

Leader Kim Jong-un viewed the photos as he received an operations report from the Pyongyang General Control Center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration on Monday morning and at dawn Tuesday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

He observed satellite photos of the White House and the Pentagon taken at 11:36 p.m. Monday, the KCNA said.

The spy satellite also took photos of Naval Station Norfolk, Newport News Shipyard and a Virginia airfield at 11:35 p.m. Monday.

Four U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and a British aircraft carrier were spotted in the photos, the KCNA said.

North Korea launched the Malligyong-1 spy satellite on a new type of Chollima-1 rocket Tuesday night after two failed attempts in May and August, respectively. The country vowed to launch several more satellites within a short span of time.

Since its successful launch, North Korea has claimed the satellite took photos of major military facilities in South Korea and the U.S. territories of Guam and Hawaii. But the North has not released related satellite photos.

North Korea said Monday that a "fine-tuning" process on the satellite is under way and is one or two days ahead of schedule. The country earlier said the Malligyong-1 will begin its official mission Friday.

South Korea's military said it is closely monitoring whether the satellite is normally functioning, though it appears to have entered an orbit. (Yonhap)