North Korea has informed Tokyo that it intends to launch a satellite between Wednesday, Nov 22 and December 1st. Tokyo and Seoul have speculated that this could be North Korea's third attempt to launch a spy satellite into orbit and is a violation of the UN ban.
The North notified Japan's Coast Guard on Tuesday that the launch is intended towards the direction of the Yellow and East China Seas. The official maritime safety agency of South Korea warned vessels that the scheduled launch will target the same locations as earlier launches.
North Korea had made two unsuccessful attempts earlier this year to launch what it claimed to be spy satellites, but officials in South Korea have stated in recent days that it looks like it may try again shortly.
It was North Korea's "sovereign right" to expand its military capability against the U.S.-led space surveillance system and defend its military satellite development, citing a researcher at the nuclear-armed state space agency, state media KCNA said on Tuesday.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida immediately condemned the notice, stating that his nation's defensive systems, such as the Aegis warships and PAC-3 air defence missiles, were prepared for any "unexpected situation" that could arise.
"Even if the purpose is to launch a satellite, using ballistic missile technology is a violation of a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions," Kishida told reporters. "It is also a matter that greatly affects national security."
According to PM Kishida, Japan will cooperate with the US, South Korea, and other nations to "strongly urge" North Korea to call off the launch.
The defence ministry of South Korea declared that it was monitoring the North's scheduled launch. According to the ministry, the first two launches occurred early on the first day of the window, thus there's a chance the third attempt might be successful.
(Photo: Koreas Tensions-KCNA via KNS/ Bloomberg)
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