North Korea notifies Japan of plan to launch satellite

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration after recent satellite system tests, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released on March 10, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)/KCNA via REUTERS

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) -North Korea has notified Japan of a plan to launch a satellite between May 31 and June 11, a Japanese coast guard official said on Monday.

Analysts say the military satellite is part of nuclear-armed North Korea's efforts to advance surveillance technology, including drones, to improve its ability to strike targets in the event of a conflict.