KAIST's Satellite Technology Research Center on Sunday unveiled the first batch of images shot by the Naro satellite which was launched on Jan. 30. The infrared images were shot from 500 km above the Korean Peninsula on Feb. 17.

"After comparing them with infrared images shot by the [older] Cheollian satellite and their blowup images, we confirmed that they were taken under normal conditions," the center said.

The Cheollian is Korea's first meteorological satellite in geostationary orbit at an altitude of 36,000 km.

The Naro images have a resolution of one pixel per 360 sq.m., much lower than commercial satellites such as the Arirang which has resolution of 1 sq. m.

The reason for the discrepancy is that the Nato satellite is essentially an afterthought to the experimental space rocket that carried it. It cost a mere W2 billion (US$1=W1,083), less than 1/100th of the Arirang, which cost nearly W300 billion.