North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered “radical improvements” to the country’s military intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities as Pyongyang seeks to strengthen its ability to monitor potential adversaries.

Kim chaired a meeting earlier this month during which he called for a major expansion of North Korea’s military surveillance and intelligence operations.

State media said the initiative is intended to improve the country’s ability to monitor potential threats and collect essential information.

North Korea has achieved several major intelligence successes over the years. Its 2014 cyberattack against Sony Pictures developed into a national security crisis for the United States.

In 2016, hackers linked to Pyongyang stole joint US-South Korean military plans. The following year, North Korean agents were accused of arranging the assassination of Kim’s half-brother in Malaysia.

Pyongyang has denied responsibility for overseas cyberattacks and involvement in the killing.

Major Intelligence Gaps

Despite those incidents, North Korea continues to face significant intelligence limitations.

The country lacks an extensive international spy network and advanced resources such as a global satellite system, leaving major gaps that Kim is now attempting to address.

The government recently added the word “intelligence” to the name of its principal espionage agency, renaming it the Reconnaissance and Intelligence General Bureau.

The change indicates that Kim’s government intends to expand secret operations abroad, including traditional espionage, cyberattacks and satellite surveillance.

Limited Diplomatic Footprint

North Korea operates far fewer embassies than the United States and other Western countries.

As of 2024, Pyongyang maintained 43 diplomatic missions overseas, compared with 271 operated by Washington, according to figures from the Lowy Institute.

This limited diplomatic presence leaves North Korea with fewer embassy employees capable of gathering intelligence overseas.

Former North Korean officials have said that the country’s spies are also forced to finance their operations independently through cryptocurrency theft because international sanctions have isolated Pyongyang from the global banking system.

Satellite Shortcomings

North Korea does not possess the extensive satellite networks that allow countries such as the United States and Russia to conduct advanced reconnaissance operations.

Building a network of military surveillance satellites has therefore become an urgent priority for Kim.

Pyongyang has launched only one spy satellite, leaving it far from possessing the network required for effective and continuous surveillance.

Publicly available satellite data provided through services such as Google Earth remains more comprehensive than the imagery North Korea can currently collect independently.

Cooperation With Russia and China

South Korea’s intelligence agency has said Russia is sharing satellite expertise with North Korea in exchange for Pyongyang’s decision to send troops to assist Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

Joseph Bermudez Jr., a North Korea analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Pyongyang could also develop an intelligence-sharing relationship with Russia and China resembling the Five Eyes alliance.

That network currently connects the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Cybersecurity experts say Russian and North Korean operatives are already cooperating in the development of malicious software.

Such cooperation could allow cyber units from different countries to focus on separate regions and exchange the classified information they obtain, effectively dividing responsibility for intelligence collection.

Kim has also indicated that he wants greater cooperation with governments that share North Korea’s political outlook.

Historically, North Korean diplomats and commercial representatives stationed overseas have operated as arms dealers and unofficial intelligence intermediaries.

North Korean hackers attempting to infiltrate defence contractors and government organizations have also operated from countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, including Russia and China.

New Diplomatic Openings

Retired South Korean army general Chun In-bum said Kim is pursuing “exceptional diplomatic initiatives” intended to expand North Korea’s presence abroad.

Kim held his first summit with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, in March. Belarus is expected to open its first embassy in Pyongyang by next month.

Chun said an expanded diplomatic presence would give North Korean intelligence agencies greater opportunities to monitor and intercept foreign communications.

He warned that Pyongyang’s activities are likely to expand through cyberattacks and theft, adding that North Korea’s greatest advantage is that Western countries continue to underestimate its capabilities.