N. Korea joints int'l space treaties: report

SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday that it has recently joined international treaties on space exploration, as the country continued preparations to launch what it claims is a satellite.

North Korea has recently become a member of the Treaty on Principles Governing
the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the
Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, and another treaty on space development, said
the Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea's "membership to international space treaties will contribute to
strengthening international trust and cooperation in its peaceful space research
and its satellite launch area," the report said.
Pyongyang said last month it will put a satellite into orbit, claiming its
sovereign right to space development. Earlier this week, its military warned any
foreign attempt to shoot down the satellite would lead to a war on the Korean
Peninsula, and its foreign ministry vowed to take "every necessary measure" to
defend its sovereignty.
Neighboring countries believe the satellite launch may be a cover for the
test-firing of a long-range missile that can theoretically reach Alaska.