North Korea claims spy satellite captured images of USS Carl Vinson and military bases in Hawaii

U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrives in Busan on Nov. 21. [YONHAP]

North Korea claimed Saturday that its recently launched reconnaissance satellite has captured images of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Hawaii, the central hub of the influential U.S. military command in the Pacific Ocean.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the National Aerospace Technology Administration's Pyongyang General Control Center on Saturday, marking his third visit since the satellite's launch on Tuesday.

The KCNA said that the satellite photographed additional military and industrial targets in South Korea, including Changwon in South Gyeongsang, Busan, Ulsan, Pohang in North Gyeongsang, Daegu and Gangneung, Gangwon, during its pass over the Peninsula between 9:59 a.m. and 10:02 a.m. on Saturday.

The satellite allegedly captured images of the Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, which had recently docked at a military base in Busan. Notably, the USS Carl Vinson arrived in Busan on the same day North Korea launched its reconnaissance satellite.

The KCNA added that the satellite also imaged major U.S. military bases, including Hickam Air Force Base in Oahu, Hawaii, during its passage over the state around 5:13 a.m. on Saturday.

This comes after North Korea's previous claim that the reconnaissance satellite had captured images of key U.S. and South Korean military bases, including Pyeongtaek, Osan, Seoul, Mokpo and Gunsan in the Jeolla region on Friday.

However, North Korea has not disclosed any of the images it claims to have captured from its satellite.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]