Satellite launch not to harm region: North Korean official

Pyongyang, April 10 (IANS) The launch of a satellite by North Korea will not harm the region and neighbouring countries, an official from the Korean Committee for Space Technology said here Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference attended by foreign journalists, Paek Chung Ho also said the first two stages of the rocket, which will carry the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite, will be dropped in the designated orbits.

Paek said the exact date of the launch had not been set yet as the preparations for the launch are still under way, reported Xinhua.

North Korea last month announced its plan to launch the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite, an "earth observation" satellite, between April 12 and 16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung.