South Korea says it boosts surveillance after North claims spy satellite launch

The South Korean announcement, which will likely infuriate North Korea, came hours after the North claimed to have placed a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit.

But the United States and its allies still quickly condemned the North Korean launch, which they believe was meant to improve the country's missile technology as well as establish a space-based surveillance system.

North Korea says it has sovereign, legitimate rights to launch spy satellites to cope with what it calls intensifying U.S.-led threats. But U.N. Security Council resolutions still prohibit any satellite liftoff by North Korea, viewing them as covers for testing its long-range missile technology.

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