Images taken by South Korea's Arirang-5 multipurpose satellite have been revealed for the first time since the spacecraft launched in August.

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning disclosed on Sunday images of Paris, Rome, Sydney, the Amazon and the Himalayas. The photos were shot to check Arirang-5's performance capability.

The imaging radar on the satellite shoots microwaves to the earth's surface and the reflecting signals produce images. Therefore clear satellite photos can be obtained day or night and regardless of bad weather.

Satellite pictures from the Arirang-5 are expected to enable monitoring of natural disasters such as flooding and mountain fires as well as oil leaks in the sea and illegal fishing by Chinese boats.  
The Arirang-5 will be tested through February before starting its five-year mission of surveying the Earth at 550 kilometers above ground.