North Korea’s Peaceful Satellite Test
Bruce Klingner /
North Korea has notified the appropriate international civilian maritime and aviation authorities to warn that Pyongyang will launch a satellite between 4 and 8 April. In the 2006 UN resolutions, the UN cited NK’s lack of a similar notification as dangerous and provocative. Pyongyang is trying to follow the rules this time to minimize negative fallout and to give China and Russia some grounds for pushing back against strong UN Security Council action.
The launch itself, as well as the continued existence of the missile program, is a violation of UN resolutions 1695 and 1718.
The North Korea notified ‘keep clear’ zones (where the first and second stages will fall) show the trajectory will be over Japan and south of Hawaii.
Learn more about North Korea’s missile program at 33 Minutes.