North Korea aims to launch satellite by june 4, report says

North Korea Set to Launch Satellite by June 4, Reports Indicate

Photo : Reuters

North Korea has informed Japan of its intention to launch a satellite by June 4, according to Japanese media reports on Monday that cite the coast guard. This follows statements from Seoul indicating that Pyongyang is preparing to deploy another military spy satellite.

The Japanese coast guard reported an eight-day launch window starting at midnight between Sunday and Monday. North Korea's notice identified three maritime danger zones near the Korean peninsula and the Philippine island of Luzon where debris from the satellite-carrying rocket could fall, according to the Kyodo news agency.

In response, officials from the United States, Japan, and South Korea held a phone call, urging Kim Jong Un's regime to halt the plan. They emphasized that any launch involving ballistic missile technology would violate U.N. resolutions, Kyodo reported.

North Korea, which possesses nuclear capabilities, launched its first reconnaissance satellite last November, an act that was met with international condemnation. The United States described it as a "brazen violation" of U.N. sanctions.

Experts suggest that spy satellites could enhance Pyongyang's intelligence-gathering abilities, especially concerning South Korea, and provide critical data in the event of military conflict.

On Friday, Seoul announced that South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies were "closely monitoring and tracking" presumed preparations for another military reconnaissance satellite launch. These preparations were observed in North Korea's Tongchang-ri county, the location of the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, where the North conducted three satellite launches last year, with only the final attempt being successful.

Seoul has indicated that North Korea received technical assistance from Russia for its successful satellite launch, in exchange for providing Moscow with weapons for the war in Ukraine.

This warning from North Korea coincides with a scheduled summit in South Korea on Monday, involving top leaders from Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo. However, due to differing political stances, discussions on North Korea are not expected to be part of the agenda.