North Korea said earlier it would launch its first military satellite between May 31 and June 11 to enhance surveillance of the activities of the US and its rivals.
A North Korean missile launched earlier. Photo: KCNA
In data provided to international agencies, North Korea said the launch would carry the missile south of the country, with various stages and other debris expected to fall into the Yellow Sea and Pacific Ocean .
Air raid sirens sounded across the South Korean capital Seoul at around 6:32 a.m. local time Wednesday, warning residents to prepare to evacuate before being lifted shortly after.
The Japanese government also issued an emergency warning on the J-Alert broadcast system for residents of Okinawa in the south of the country early Wednesday morning. Officials warned residents to stay indoors. They later said the missile would not reach Japanese territory and lifted the warning.
On Tuesday, Ri Pyong Chol, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, said ongoing joint military exercises between the US and South Korea required Pyongyang to have "means capable of gathering information on military actions in real time."
Ahead of Wednesday's launch, the US State Department said any North Korean launch using ballistic missile technology would violate multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Huy Hoang (according to Reuters, Yonhap, Kyodo)
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