North Korea has been using Chinese satellites to broadcast its state-run media. It was confirmed that Korean Central Television had switched to a Russian satellite last month.
The South Korean Ministry of Unification stated today, “North Korea has stopped using the Chinese satellite and is broadcasting through a Russian satellite. It has limited satellite reception in some regions in South Korea since the 1st.” Accessing North Korean media is prohibited in South Korea. Requiring a connection to a satellite service, only approved institutions can watch North Korean broadcasts. However, due to frequency interference issues within South Korea, the satellite signal is not being received, making it difficult to access North Korean broadcasts.
Foreign media also quoted a South Korean satellite broadcast provider on the 1st, stating that the signal of North Korean television service Korean Central Television has been transmitted through the Ekspress-103 Russian satellite instead of the ChinaSat 12 Chinese satellite since June 29.
The North Korea satellite switch is analyzed as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement signed at the North Korea-Russia summit. Vice President of the Center for Asia-Pacific Strategy (CAPS), David Maxwell, told Radio Free Asia (RFA), “It is speculated that North Korea switched satellites due to the recently established agreement between North Korea and Russia.”
However, he added, “It’s premature to say that North Korea is distancing itself from China to focus on cooperation with Russia,” emphasizing, “Kim Jong Un will use both China and Russia for his purposes.”
Patrick Cronin, an Asia-Pacific Security Chair at the Hudson Institute in the U.S., also told RFA, “This emphasizes that the security agreement between North Korea and Russia is growing.”
The South Korean Ministry of Unification stated, “The reason for replacing the Chinese satellite with the Russian satellite cannot be confirmed at this stage,” adding, “We are maintaining a monitoring system for North Korean broadcasts and are in discussions to resolve related technical restrictions.”