NK Expected to Fire Rocket April 4-8

North Korea has informed an international organization on shipping safety that it will fire a rocket carrying a "satellite" between April 4-8, an intelligence source said Thursday.

"North Korea informed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of its plan to launch the Kwangmyongsong-2 between April 4-8," the source told Yonhap News Agency.

Earlier in the day, the communist nation said through its official agency that it had notified the IMO and other related global bodies about the upcoming rocket launch.

"The DPRK (North Korea) informed the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization and other international organizations of necessary information for the safe navigation of planes and ships according to relevant regulations as part of its preparations for launching Kwangmyongsong-2, an experimental communications satellite, by carrier rocket Unha-2 which was made public by the Korean Committee of Space Technology recently," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, without mentioning a date for the rocket launch.

It added that Pyongyang had also joined the international treaty and convention on space.

"The DPRK's accession to the treaty and convention will contribute to promoting international confidence and boosting cooperation in the scientific research into space and the satellite launch for peaceful purposes," the KCNA said.

Thursday's announcement follows weeks of reports that North Korea is preparing to launch a long-range missile from a base on its east coast. Pyongyang partly confirmed the reports, arguing it is seeking to send a communication satellite into orbit as part of peaceful space program.