North Korea announced on Saturday that its leader Kim Jong-un had reviewed photos of US military bases in Hawaii and Seoul that were purportedly taken by their newly launched spy satellite. The country claimed that the satellite was successfully launched into orbit earlier in the week, although independent verification of its capabilities is still pending.

South Korean defense officials, however, have cast doubt on North Korea's claims, stating that the extent of their satellite's capabilities may have been exaggerated. Despite this skepticism, Kim Jong-un reportedly inspected photos taken by the spy satellite on Friday and Saturday, showcasing several "major target regions."

Among the significant locations allegedly observed by Kim Jong-un were the US Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. The satellite also captured images of various cities in South Korea, including the capital Seoul, Mokpo, Kunsan, Pyeongtaek, and Osan, all of which house US and South Korean military bases.

Interestingly, one photo reportedly showed the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which had recently arrived at a port in Busan. Additional images featured cities such as Jinhae, Busan, Ulsan, Pohang, Daegu, and Gangneung. Kim Jong-un viewed these images during his visits to Pyongyang's National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) on Friday and Saturday.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the NATA provided a report to Kim Jong-un regarding the plan to photograph regions in South Korea and the continuous fine-tuning process of the reconnaissance satellite.

In a separate commentary published by KCNA on Saturday, North Korea criticized the United States for providing advanced weapons to its "puppet forces." The country warned of catastrophic consequences and stated that even a small spark on the Korean peninsula could lead to a global nuclear war.

The launch of the North Korean spy satellite has drawn strong condemnation from top diplomats of Japan, South Korea, and the United States who expressed concern about its destabilizing effect on the region. The situation remains tense as North Korea continues to assert its military capabilities through such actions.

It should be noted that earlier in the week, KCNA claimed that Kim Jong-un had viewed images of US military installations above the US Pacific territory of Guam. However, South Korean defense minister Shin Won-sik dismissed these claims, stating that North Korea had exaggerated the extent of their satellite's capabilities.

As tensions persist on the Korean peninsula, the international community closely monitors North Korea's actions and endeavors to find a peaceful resolution to avoid further escalation in the region.