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South Korea has issued a navigational warning for vessels regarding North Korea’s planned launch of a satellite later this month. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries issued the warning after being notified by Pyongyang of their intention to launch a satellite between August 24 and August 31. The warning includes three maritime zones that could be affected by the launch, including areas in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and east of the Philippines.

While South Korean ships do not frequently pass through these zones, the government will enhance monitoring and provide relevant information to ensure safety at sea. The navigational warning is distributed through the World-Wide Navigational Warning System (WWNWS), a global radio and satellite broadcast system under the International Maritime Organization.

This planned satellite launch by North Korea could be another attempt to put a military spy satellite into orbit. The previous attempt on May 31 ended in failure when the rocket carrying the spy satellite crashed into the Yellow Sea due to an engine failure. North Korea has expressed its intention to make a second attempt “soon.”

South Korea’s spy agency recently informed lawmakers that the North could launch a reconnaissance satellite in late August or early September, aligning with the 75th anniversary of the regime’s founding on September 9. The launch plan coincides with the start of the annual combined military drills between South Korea and the United States, called the Ulchi Freedom Shield.

North Korea has often denounced these drills as a rehearsal for invasion, though South Korea and the United States maintain that they are defensive in nature. In a trilateral summit, the leaders of South Korea, the United States, and Japan agreed to work together more closely to counter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.

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