AsianScientist (Mar. 19, 2012) – The DPRK (North Korea) is set to launch a working satellite in April, said the Korean Committee for Space Technology in a statement on Friday.
The locally-manufactured satellite’s launch will mark the 100th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung’s birth, said the state-run KCNA news agency.
It plans to launch Kwangmyongsong-3, a polar-orbiting earth observation satellite, southward from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, by the Unha-3 rocket. The launch date has been set for April 12 to 16 next month.
The satellite is also the third launched by North Korea, KCNA said.
In response to protests by the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union that the launch would breach a United Nations ban, Pyongyang on Saturday that the satellite would be launched “in line with the government’s policy for space development and peaceful use.”
“The DPRK will strictly abide by relevant international regulations and usage concerning the launch of scientific and technological satellites for peaceful purposes and ensure maximum transparency, thereby contributing to promoting international trust and cooperation in the field of space scientific researches and satellite launches,” a KCNA media statement read.
It added that foreign experts and journalists would be invited to observe its launch.
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Source: KCNA; Photo: Korean Central News Agency.
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