Global Security Newswire

North Korea has notified two U.N. organizations of its plans to launch a satellite-carrying rocket into space early next month, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, March 12).

Pyongyang appears to be trying to address fears that the launch is intended to test long-range missile technology by alerting the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The regime has never before provided such advance warning before a launching missile or satellite.

The notification cites two "danger" zones where rocket parts could fall following the launch, now set for April 4-8. One sector is roughly 75 miles from Japan and the other between Japan and Hawaii.

"They want to do the launch openly while minimizing what the international community may find fault with," said South Korean analyst Kim Yong-hyun (Jae-Soon Chang, Associated Press I/Yahoo!News, March 12).

Pyongyang's danger zone declaration supports its contention that it plans to launch a satellite, a space expert wrote today on an international security blog, arguing that the planned trajectory was logical for such a mission. In addition, the zones suggest a longer-range booster than earlier North Korean rockets.

"North Korea issued these two stay clear zones to protect shipping etc. from the first and second stages as they re-enter, which implies of course, that if the rocket is intended to orbit a satellite that it has three stages," wrote Geoffrey Forden, Massachusetts Institute of Technology research associate (Geoffrey Forden, ArmsControlWonk, March 13).

North Korea has also signed onto the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on the moon, or anywhere in space, RIA Novosti reported yesterday.

"The Foreign Ministry of Russia ... on March 5 received a notification and note on the accession of the D.P.R.K. to the space treaty," a Foreign Ministry source said (RIA Novosti, March 12).

Pyongyang also joined another pact that addresses registration of material sent into space, according to the regime's official news agency

"The D.P.R.K's accession to the said treaty and convention will contribute to promoting international confidence and boosting cooperation in the scientific research into space and the satellite launch for peaceful purposes," the news agency reported (Agence France-Presse, March 12).

Observers in other nations remained concerned about the North's launch plans, which are seen as an effort to strengthen the nation's position in negotiations over its nuclear program and to push the United States into direct diplomacy (see GSN, March 12). Officials continued to argue that the launch of a long-range missile or a rocket that would use similar technology would violate a U.N. resolution imposed after North Korea launched its Taepodong 2 missile in July 2006 and tested a nuclear weapon three months later.

"If the North launches either a missile or a satellite, it will be referred to the [U.N. Security] Council for possible sanctions,'' South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said today. "The United States, China, Japan, Russia and many other countries have already told the North to give up its missile ambitions. We will act with them, too."

"That's what Security Council members will discuss when and after anything happens,'' said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "I'm concerned about North Korea's recent move to launch a satellite or long-range missile. This will threaten the peace and stability in the region" (Na Jeong-ju, Korea Times, March 13).

Japan said again today it could take aim at any North Korean rocket that approaches its territory, AP reported.

"We can legally shoot down one for safety in case an object falls toward Japan," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura (Jae-Soon Chang, Associated Press II/ABC News, March 13).