North Korea plans to launch second military spy satellite
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un (photo: Getty Images)
Japan stated on Monday, May 27, that North Korea had informed it of a plan to launch a satellite by June 3. This is apparently an attempt by North Korea to place its second military spy satellite into orbit, according to AP.
The announcement of the launch came as the leaders of South Korea, Japan, and China gathered in Seoul for their first trilateral meeting.
Japan's coast guard said it had been informed by North Korea of the planned launch of a satellite rocket with safety warnings for waters between the Korean Peninsula and China and to the east of the Philippine island of Luzon from Monday to midnight on June 3.
North Korea provides Japan with information about its launch as Japan's coast guard coordinates and disseminates information on maritime safety in East Asia.
The agency writes that the launch plan likely relates to North Korea's attempts to launch its second military spy satellite into space.
South Korea's armed forces said on Friday they had detected signs that North Korea was engaged in activity that likely involved preparing to launch a spy satellite at its main Tongchang-ri launch site in the country's northwest.
In November of last year, North Korea sent its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit as part of efforts to create a space observation network to counter what it calls military threats from the US.
Recently, NBC News reported that Russia and North Korea may be preparing a major military provocation in October shortly before the start of the US presidential election, scheduled for early November.
