A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ahead of the launch of Korea's second spy satellite is seen at the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in this handout photo taken on April 7 and provided by the Korean Defence Ministry shows. AFP-Yonhap

South Korea will launch its third domestically developed military spy satellite from a U.S. space center Saturday in an effort to bolster its surveillance capabilities on North Korea.

The satellite is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 3:34 a.m. (local time) on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

If successful, it will mark South Korea's third military spy satellite in orbit under a plan to acquire five medium- to large-sized spy satellites by 2025 to better monitor the North.

South Korea launched its first spy satellite — equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors to capture detailed images of the Earth's surface — in December last year from the California space base.

In April, the country placed its second spy satellite — fitted with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors that capture data using microwaves and are capable of collecting data regardless of weather conditions — from John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida.

The third and remaining two satellites will also be equipped with SAR sensors.

South Korea's defense authorities expected the upcoming launch to further enhance the military's three-pronged deterrence program against the North's nuclear and missile threats.

Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Seok Jong-gun, who is overseeing the third launch, said the grouped operation of satellites will enable the military to better identify signs of North Korea's provocations.

The latest launch comes as the North has also been ramping up efforts to acquire space-based reconnaissance capabilities.

Pyongyang successfully launched its first military spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, in November 2023 and has vowed to launch three more spy satellites this year.

But North Korea has yet to launch a second since a rocket carrying a satellite exploded shortly following takeoff in May. (Yonhap)