SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea has told an international shipping body that it will fire a satellite into space between April 4 and 8. Several neighbouring governments suspect the launch will test long-range missile technology.
International Maritime Organization spokesman Lee Adamson said Thursday that the North's maritime administration informed the body of the schedule the day before.
The North's unprecedented notification appears to be aimed at showing it has fulfilled its obligations regarding the launch, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said.
Adamson said the London-based organization would release a statement with details later and would be issuing a safety of navigation circular after confirming details the North provided about the launch direction.
The South Korean government earlier said that the North had informed the body of a plan to launch a satellite during that period and that the direction would be toward the east.
In 1998, North Korea faced international condemnation because it did not inform relevant international organizations of a missile it launched over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. It claimed at the time that it had launched a satellite into orbit.
South Korea, Japan and the United States believe the planned launch will test missile technology in violation of a 2006 UN Security Council resolution banning North Korea from ballistic missile activity, and have urged the North not to go forward.
"There is no doubt that this problem will destabilize peace and stability in the region," Japan's chief government spokesman, Takeo Kawamura, told a news conference in Tokyo earlier. "We have grave concerns over this issue, and continue to gather intelligence."
