After decades of satellite surveillance by foreign governments and analysts, North Korea has sent its first spy satellite on a global orbit with a message to the world: we can watch you too.
True, but being fair to the DPRK, Google hasn't had the most powerful nation in the world literally blocking almost all trade with them or all the sanctions. Google has been allowed to make mad money and do whatever they want more or less (at least as long as the US gov can still tap into the info), and it really isn't shocking they have what they have at this point. The DPRK was able to do this basically completely on their own despite everything. Even the US had to start with one satellite at one point. So a "fuck you" to the US is a win for the DPRK no matter how small it is when compared to rich companies.
Google is part of the military intelligence apparatus of the Five Eyes. Th fact that DPRK can do this after being one of the top 3 most bombed countries in the history of the world is quite impressive. Consider the state of the space program in similarly bombed countries (Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia) and you'll see why this is actually a big deal.
Also of note, the DPRK has a GDP of around $40B. Alphabet (parent of Google) reported $218B in expenditures in 2022.
DPRK having spy satellites is a marvel given those numbers
Exactly, this is just a test, if they actually had decent spy satellites watching the US, they'd be watching military bases instead, and they wouldn't announce them like this. This is just standard DPRK fearmongering.
Since the late 50’s, almost all military bases in Russia and the US (and I would assume in China and other Western countries as well) have been constructed and upgraded with “satellite cover”, meaning that pretty much anything important happens underground, in massive uniform warehouses, massive covered hangers, discrete buildings that are oftentimes featureless and identical, and in covered train terminals (many of which are also underground).
Spy satellites have already been countered in the way you are thinking.