The DPRK announced that it would launch an observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 in the middle of April. This announcement surprised the people but the DPRK's assertion has every reason. The international community should observe it with calm and give the DPRK an opportunity of proving its honesty.

The reason for the strong reaction on the sides of the U.S., Japan and south Korea lies not in the type of satellite but in the carrier rocket Unha-3.

According to their theory, a rocket has just the same principle as a ballistic missile and it is convertible to a ballistic missile any time. But there is no evidential proof that what the DPRK is going to launch will not be a satellite.

The DPRK announced that it would invite world's experienced experts and journalists to the launching station to prove that it is a satellite that it plans to launch.

This also reflects the DPRK's sincerity when viewed from another angle.

It is the intention of the DPRK to settle disputes by taking note of the world reaction and by increasing transparency. This attitude deepens people's trust that what the DPRK is going to launch may be truly a satellite.

In case the DPRK proves it, this will considerably downplay the reasoning the U.S., Japan and south Korea will make to pressure the DPRK citing the UN "Resolution" 1874. It is because the DPRK has refused to accept the UN "resolution" and the UN does not have any regulations curbing a sovereign country from launching an earth observation satellite from its own land.

As the DPRK asserts, the U.S., Japan and south Korea launched even spy satellites for military use.

UN "Resolution" 1874 offers the DPRK enough reason to chide south Korea where the situation is similar to it.

Under these circumstances, the international community should take time before denouncing the DPRK and shaping a new confrontation policy and take this opportunity to monitor the DPRK so that it may increase transparency and refrain from converting a rocket into an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

If the DPRK truly intends to develop the missile, that will aim to defuse the threat coming from afar and survive. This requires the neighboring countries to jointly work to make the DPRK feel safe so that it can refrain from developing ICBM. In particular, those countries hostile to the DPRK are required to study how to dispel mutual hostility.

In fact, whether the DPRK's satellite launch will deteriorate the regional situation or not depends on the response of the U.S., Japan and south Korea. They all benefited from "missile crises" of the DPRK in the past.

They developed spy satellite and missile defense system and tried to develop long-range ballistic missile system. This time will be of no exception. In case the U.S., Japan and south Korea strongly respond, the situation will naturally turn worse.

Therefore, parties concerned should wait with calm for the DPRK's publication of the results of the launch.

At present, the DPRK does not seem to cancel the launch plan. So, there is no need to take more hostile approach to the DPRK.