Seoul, South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reviewed photographs of major US military bases in Guam after Pyongyang claimed on Tuesday (Nov 21) that it successfully put a military spy satellite into orbit. North Korean state media said on Wednesday that it received the images from the "Malligyong-1" spy satellite.

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State-run news agency KCNA said that Kim "watched the aerospace photos of Anderson Air Force Base, Apra Harbor and other major military bases of the US forces taken in the sky above Guam in the Pacific, which were received at 9:21am on Nov 22". 

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The report of images came despite Japanese officials claiming that there is no evidence that Pyongyang's launch was indeed a success. Hirokazu Matsuno, who is the chief government spokesman, said: "The government at this point is not confirming whether the satellite has entered into an orbit around the Earth." 

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China urged all parties to stay "calm and restrained" after the announcement of the successful launch of a military surveillance satellite, which led to condemnation from the United States and South Korea. 

On being asked about the launch, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing that all the concerned parties should remain calm and restrained. He said that all must "look squarely at the crux of the problem, adhere to the general direction of a political settlement, and do more to help ease tensions". 

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Aftermath of missile launch 

South Korea on Wednesday suspended parts of a 2018 military pact with North Korea, which says that it has a "sovereign right" to develop spy satellites and other technologies to defend itself against any military aggression. 

The Comprehensive Military Agreement was signed in Pyongyang on September 19, 2018, by Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. 

Amid escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula, South Korea's Defence Minister Shin Won-sik visited the US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson on Wednesday. 

South Korea's navy said the Carl Vinson had arrived at a port in Busan on Tuesday in a show of extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. 

(With inputs from agencies)