The Daily Observer Online

North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun reported on April 19 that leader Kim Jong-un gave on-site guidance at the National Aerospace Development Administration on April 18, where he ordered final preparations for the launch of the nation’s first military reconnaissance satellite on a planned date. (KCNA/Yonhap)

North Korea notified Japan on Monday that it will launch a satellite between May 31 and June 11. In response, the South Korean government has stated that such behavior is a “serious violation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and plans to respond strongly in step with the US and Japan.

Seoul’s Office of National Security stated on Monday that it held an emergency meeting of the National Security Council’s standing committee, chaired by the NSO Director Cho Tae-yong, to discuss the response to North Korea’s satellite launch notification.

The office briefed President Yoon Suk-yeol on the matter and the standing committee discussed countermeasures after receiving a situation report from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“The government is closely monitoring related developments,” the office stated.

The meeting was attended by Cho, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, and National Intelligence Service Director Kim Kyou-hyun.

The government also issued a statement via the spokesperson of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“North Korea’s so-called ‘satellite launch’ is a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting any launch using ballistic missile technology and is clearly an illegal act that cannot be justified under any pretext,” read the statement, which went on to urge North Korea to abandon its launch plans.

On the same day, Kim Geon, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, spoke over the phone to his US and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim, the US special representative for North Korea, and Takehiro Funakoshi, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“If North Korea carries out its illegal provocations, we will work closely together to ensure a decisive and united response from the international community based on the cooperation of South Korea, the United States and Japan,” the ministry said.

North Korea informed the Japan Coast Guard of its plans to launch a satellite. The move follows North Korea’s announcement in April that it had completed its first military reconnaissance satellite, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s on-site inspection of final preparations for the launch of the satellite on May 16, and his approval of the satellite preparatory committee’s latest action plan.

“In coordination with the United States of America, the Republic of Korea, and other countries concerned, [we] strongly urge North Korea to exercise restraint and refrain from conducting a launch,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that day. Japan has protested that any satellite launch utilizing ballistic missile technology would violate United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea.

By Jang Ye-ji, staff reporter; Bae Ji-hyun, staff reporter; Kim So-youn, Tokyo correspondent

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