North Korea's Rocket Launch Plans Cause Diplomatic Tension

North Korea has announced plans to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite towards the Yellow Sea. The announcement coincides with a trilateral summit involving Japan, South Korea, and China. U.S., Japanese, and South Korean officials have deemed the launch a violation of U.N. resolutions and urged its cancellation.

North Korea has notified Japan of its plan to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite towards the Yellow Sea and east of Luzon Island between May 27 and June 4, the Japan Coast Guard said on Monday.

The notice comes ahead of a trilateral summit meeting between Japan, South Korea and China scheduled to take place later on Monday. Officials from the United States, Japan, and South Korea held phone talks in response to the notice and shared a view that North Korea's satellite launch using ballistic missile technology would be in violation of U.N. resolutions, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

The officials agreed to demand North Korea cancel the planned launch, the ministry said in an emailed release.