South warns North against conducting satellite launch

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspects the country's first military reconnaissance satellite on May 16. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

The South Korean government sternly warned North Korea against launching a military reconnaissance satellite.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Monday calling the launching of a "so-called satellite" using ballistic missile technology, a "serious violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.

"We strongly warn North Korea regarding its advanced notification of a provocation that threatens regional peace and urge an immediate withdrawal of its illegal launch plan,” the Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

The statement came after an emergency National Security Council meeting that was headed by National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong.

Foreign Minister Park Jin, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, National Intelligence Service Director Kim Kyou-hyun, National Security Office First Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo as well as National Security Office Second Deputy Director Lim Jong-deuk attended the meeting.

According to the Japanese government on Monday, North Korea had informed it that they plan to launch a reconnaissance satellite between May 31 and June 11.

North Korea reportedly informed the Japanese government that “it will outline three maritime danger zones in which objects may fall during the period with two areas to the west of the Korean Peninsula and one to the east of the Philippines,” reported Japan's Kyodo News, quoting the Japan Coast Guard.

According to the Japanese news agency, the Japanese government regards the launching of the “satellite” as a ballistic missile test.

The Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Monday was quoted as saying that the launching of the satellite is a “serious provocation” that violates the UN Security Council resolutions.

According to NHK, Japanese Minister of Defense Yasukazu Hamada has ordered the Japanese Self-Defense Force to destroy “any incoming ballistic missiles,” if they fall on Japanese territory.

Japan has recently been reinforcing its defense capability, including deploying the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missile defense system on two Okinawa Prefecture islands.

The announcement came a week after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made an on-site inspection of its first military spy satellite with his daughter Kim Ju-ae.

Pyongyang’s state media said on May 16 that Kim had approved all “future action plans” regarding its reconnaissance satellite.

Meanwhile the North Korean government on Monday said it is open to talks with Japan.

“If Japan tries to make a new decision from a broad perspective of recognizing each other as it is intact in conformity with the changed international trend and the times, not being shackled by the past, and seeks a way out for improving the relations, there is no reason for the DPRK and Japan not to meet,” said Park Sang-gil, the North Korean vice minister of foreign affairs, through a statement that was released through the North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

“Japan should show its will to resolve the issue by practice, not by words,” Park stressed.

The North Korean foreign affairs vice minister, however, stressed that the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals should be off the table if Japan wants a summit between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“Japan is now talking about the ‘summit talks without preconditions,’ but in fact, it is clamoring for settlement over the abduction issue, which had already been resolved,” Park said in the statement.

“We are not sure what Japan is going to do and what it wants, but if it tries to fulfill the unrealizable desire by employing the methods used by the preceding regimes without any better proposals and bold decision to rewrite history, it will be a miscalculation and a waste of time,” Park added.

The Japanese media reported Saturday that Prime Minister Kishida said he wanted high-level talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim.

“I am determined to face Kim Jong-un directly myself, without any preconditions,” Kishida was quoted as saying.

Some 17 Japanese nationals were reportedly abducted to North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. The Japanese government suspects the abductees were used to train North Korean spies.

The abductees include Megumi Yokota, who was only 13 years old when she was kidnapped in 1977.

Five of the abductees, including two couples, returned home in 2002 after then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang twice.

While the Japanese government has continued to call for the return of the remaining 12 Japanese nationals, North Korea argues that the matter was settled.

It claims that eight of the 12 remaining Japanese nationals have died, including Megumi, who Pyongyang said died by suicide.

North Korea denied abducting the other four people.

“If one doggedly sticks to the past, one cannot advance towards the future,” the North Korean foreign affairs vice minister said.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]