North Korea says it will launch a long-range rocket later this month.
State news agency KCNA said the launch of a rocket carrying a satellite would take place between December 10 and 22.
The launch will come ahead of a South Korean presidential election on December 19 and is close to the first anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong Il.
Pyongyang made a similar rocket launch in April but it was quickly aborted due to technical failures.
North Korea is banned from conducting missile or nuclear-related activities under UN resolutions.
Pyongyang says its launches are for peaceful purposes.
But the United States and South Korea believe the impoverished state is testing long-range missile technology in a bid to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
State news agency KCNA said the launch of a rocket carrying a satellite would take place between December 10 and 22.
The launch will come ahead of a South Korean presidential election on December 19 and is close to the first anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong Il.
Pyongyang made a similar rocket launch in April but it was quickly aborted due to technical failures.
North Korea is banned from conducting missile or nuclear-related activities under UN resolutions.
Pyongyang says its launches are for peaceful purposes.
But the United States and South Korea believe the impoverished state is testing long-range missile technology in a bid to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.