North Korea planning to launch satellite into orbit

PanARMENIAN.Net - North Korea has announced that it will launch a rocket carrying a satellite as it has the right to carry out research in space, triggering swift condemnations from South Korea and the United States, the Telegraph reports.

Pyongyang did not specify a date for the launch, but the announcement by state media is the clearest indication to date that the regime of Kim Jong-un intends to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party on October 10.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday, September 14, that the North's space agency is "pushing forward in the final phase of the development of a new Earth observation satellite for weather forecasts.

"The world will clearly see a series of satellites of Korea soaring into the sky at times and locations determined by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea", KCNA said.

Neighboring countries have considered North Korea's previous launch of a rocket carrying a satellite, carried out in December 2012, to have been a thinly disguised test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile. Analysts say rockets and ballistic missiles share nearly identical technology and any launch will aid the North's efforts to develop its missile capabilities.

The North denies that claim.

"Space development for peaceful purposes is a sovereign state's legitimate right, recognised by international law and the Party and the people of the DRPK are fully determined to exercise this right, no matter what others might say", KCNA said.

South Korea was swift to respond to Pyongyang's announcement, with a spokesman for the Blue House saying any launch would "not be helpful" to the regime and insisting that it would be a breach of UN resolutions.