S. Korea warns N. Korea not to fire missile

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; COMBINES story on ICAO)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, March 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea urged North Korea Friday to drop its plan to
fire what it suspects to be a missile, saying any launch would violate a U.N.
Security Council resolution.
"Since North Korea's act is in violation of U.N. Resolution 1718, it should be
halted," foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-yong said in a statement. "If North
Korea presses ahead with a launch, there will be Security Council-level
consultation and countermeasures."
The resolution, adopted unanimously in 2006 after Pyongyang conducted missile and
nuclear tests, prohibits the North from being involved in any kind of ballistic
missile program.
Moon said that South Korea is in close consultation with the U.S., Japan, China,
and Russia to deal with Pyongyang's move. The regional powers are the North's
dialogue partners at the often-troubled six-way talks on ending Pyongyang's
nuclear development.
The statement came in response to the confirmation by two global agencies on
maritime and aviation safety that North Korea had notified them of its planned
launch of what it claims is a satellite as part of a space program.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said earlier in the day that
it was officially notified by Pyongyang of its plan to fire what it claims to be
a "communication satellite" between April 4-8 and between 11:00 a.m.-4.p.m.
(Seoul time).
Of the two potential danger areas identified, one is in waters off Japan's
northeastern coast and the other is in the Pacific, according to a map released
by ICAO. The map shows that if successful, a multi-stage rocket from a base on
the North's east coast would fly over Japan after shedding its first booster in
the East Sea.
North Korea provided the same information to the International Maritime
Organization earlier.
But South Korea views the North's move as a smokescreen for a test of the
secretive nation's most advanced ballistic missile. In 2006, the North fired a
long-range Taepodong-2 missile, along with several short-range ones, that plunged
into the waters about 40 seconds after lift-off, according to intelligence
officials at the time who said the test was an apparent failure.
"We believe North Korea's move is unhelpful to the six-way talks," Moon said.
He added that his ministry has already formed a task force on the North's missile
activity. Led by Seoul's chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac, the team includes
senior officials handling North American affairs, treaties, and international
organizations.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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