PYONGYANG, North Korea, March 16 (UPI) -- North Korea says it will launch a satellite using a long-range rocket, a launch U.S. and South Korean officials claim is a thinly disguised military test.
The official Korean Central News Agency, quoting a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology, said the "working satellite, Kwangmyongsong-3, manufactured ... with indigenous technology" is set to be launched between April 12 and April 16.
The birth anniversary of the late Kim Il Sung, founder of North Korea and grandfather of North Korea's new leader Kim Jong Un, is celebrated April 15.
Friday's announcement by North Korea could threaten an agreement Kim Jong Un entered into with the United States 16 days ago to halt long-range launches in exchange for 260,000 tons of food to alleviate the country's widespread famine, The Washington Post reported.
"Such a missile launch would pose a threat to regional security and would also be inconsistent with North Korea's recent undertaking to refrain from long-range missile launches," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement. "We call on North Korea to adhere to its international obligations, including all relevant U.N. Security Council Resolutions. We are consulting closely with our international partners on next steps."
North Korean officials argue the country's satellite program does not violate nuclear disarmament rules because it is part of a peaceful space program.
North Korea "will strictly abide by relevant international regulations and usage concerning the launch of scientific and technological satellites for peaceful purposes and ensure maximum transparency," they said.
The launch is scheduled to occur between April 12 and 16 from North Korea's North Phyongan province, the Post reported.
