South Korea, US closely monitoring N. Korea's movements for spy satellite launch

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korean and United States (US) intelligence authorities were closely monitoring North Korea for activities related to its planned launch of a military spy satellite.

"The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the US are closely watching for related movements in close coordination," Yonhap news agency quoted a spokesperson for Seoul's Joint Chief of Staff, Han Sung Keun as saying in a regular briefing Tuesday.

"We are tracking and monitoring various possibilities of provocation, including North Korea's claim of a so-called satellite (launch)."

When asked about the satellite's possible capabilities and possibly shooting down the rocket it will be mounted on, Han declined to comment, citing that he could not discuss information related to military operations.

Earlier in the day, the North's official state media agency, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried a statement by Ri Pyong Chol, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Worker's Party, which called the North's satellite reconnaissance an "indispensable" act to bolster its self-defence capabilities against the enemies' "reckless" military exercises.

It was reported on Monday that North Korea has notified Japan of its plan to launch a satellite between May 31 and June 11.

North Korea has announced the completion of preparations to mount its first military spy satellite on a rocket, raising speculation that the North may launch at any time. - BERNAMA