DPRK urged to halt satellite launch plan

By Agencies in Moscow, Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing (Agencies/China Daily) Updated: 2012-12-04 07:31

Photo taken on April 8, 2012 shows the Unha-3 rocket for launching Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite installed on the launch pad in Tongchang-ri base, Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea(DPRK). [Photo/Xinhua]

ROK Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said the military is closely watching all activities with regard to DPRK's long-range rocket while firmly maintaining military posture and joint alert status with the US military.

ROK chief nuclear envoy Lim Sung-nam was scheduled to meet ambassadors from China, Russia and Japan on Monday to discuss the planned launch, AFP reported.

Lim also plans to visit the US on Tuesday for talks with his US counterpart, Glyn Davies, and the visit will focus on how to respond to the upcoming launch, AFP said.

In Japan, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Monday called for close cooperation with the US, China, ROK and Russia.

Tokyo has begun deploying a surface-to-air missile defense system and is putting its armed forces on standby ahead of Pyongyang's launch, while Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that a naval vessel carrying Patriot Advanced Capability-3 ballistic missiles left a western Japan naval base on Monday.

Japanese officials are preparing to issue an advance order as soon as on Friday to shoot down the rocket if it looks set to fall on Japanese territory, after an emergency meeting chaired by Noda, Nikkei business daily reported.

A Japanese Defense Ministry spokesman told AFP that "our ground, marine, and air forces are now preparing to deploy troops in Okinawa", where the rocket may fly over.

Full Coverage:

DPRK Rocket Launch