ICAO receives notice from N. Korea on planned rocket launch

SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. aviation agency said Friday that it has
received formal notice from North Korea of the communist state's plan to fire
what it calls a "communication satellite," as did an international maritime body.
"The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been officially advised
by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of its intention to proceed
with the launch of a communication satellite, under the terms of the DPRK's
long-term plan for space development," the agency said in a press release.
In a letter to ICAO earlier this week, the North said the launch would take place
between April 4-8 and between 11:00 a.m.-4.p.m. (KST), it added.
Of the two potential danger areas identified, one is in the waters close to
Japan's northeastern area and the other is in the East Sea, according to a map
released by ICAO. The map appears to show that if successful, a multi-stage
rocket would fly over Japan after shedding its first booster in the East Sea.
ICAO said it urged North Korean authorities, if they had not already done so, to
comply with provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and
issue appropriate advisories to all concerned parties.
On Thursday, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced that it had
been informed by Pyongyang that it will launch an experimental communications
satellite "Kwangmyongsong No. 2," between April 4-8.
The North provided the IMO with the same danger area coordinates in efforts to
clear the zones for its rocket launch.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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