North Korea notifies Japan of satellite launch plan between Nov 22 and Dec 1
North Korea has officially notified Japan of its plan to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite sometime between November 22 and December 1. The trajectory is set towards the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. If carried out, this would represent North Korea's third attempt in 2023 to put a spy satellite into orbit. This move follows a recent visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Russia's modern space launch center, where President Vladimir Putin pledged assistance in building satellites.
The announcement comes on the heels of North Korea's denunciation of the potential U.S. sale of hundreds of missiles to Japan and South Korea, describing it as a dangerous act that escalates tension in the region and triggers a new arms race. In response, the North's defense ministry stated that Pyongyang would enhance measures to establish deterrence and respond to regional instability caused by the U.S. and its allies.
Japan's prime minister's office has responded to North Korea's notice on social media, stating that the country will work with the U.S., South Korea, and others to strongly urge North Korea not to proceed with the satellite launch. Meanwhile, South Korea's military issued a warning, urging North Korea to call off the satellite launch, which it considers a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a grave act of provocation.
North Korea has been seeking to deploy a military spy satellite into orbit, emphasizing its plans to create a fleet of satellites to monitor the movements of U.S. and South Korean troops. The country has made multiple attempts to launch what it terms "observation" satellites. While two satellites seemed to have successfully reached orbit, doubts persist about their functionality, as South Korean officials questioned whether they transmit any signal.
The proposed launch window comes just before South Korea's own plan to launch its first reconnaissance satellite, scheduled for November 30 with aid from the United States. This follows a suspension of some training and reconnaissance flights by South Korea under a 2018 agreement with North Korea. The U.S. and its allies have consistently criticized North Korea's satellite tests, considering them a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that prohibit the development of technology applicable to North Korea's ballistic missile programs. North Korea, however, views its space and military rocket programs as a sovereign right.
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