When the north announced its plan to launch Kwangmyongsong-3, an earth observation satellite, by carrier rocket Unha-3, south Korea, the U.S. and Japan opposed to it.

They say the north seeks to carry out a long-range missile test.

What they fear is that if satellite is launched successfully and nuclear warhead is put on it, it can hit the U.S. mainland.

But the north says that the satellite will help estimate the distribution of forest resources, natural disaster and grain harvest and that it is also necessary for weather forecast and prospecting of natural resources.

Question of whether it would be a "satellite or missile" is by no means a new topic. When the north launched satellites in 1998 and 2009, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the north through the UNSC in the wake of similar controversy.

The north refuted it, saying "if it can not launch a satellite because it requires ballistic missile technology such as long-range missile, it would mean that it will forever be left with no right to launch satellite".

In fact, satellites were launched from many countries including Japan and Iran and lots of regions unhindered.

The north will launch a satellite under the outer space treaty which stipulates that it is the right of all the countries to develop and use space for peaceful purposes.

In the meantime Lee Myung Bak shared the U.S. view that the north should drop the launch plan as it is a provocation violating the UNSC resolution and the U.S.-DPRK agreement.

He even blustered that President Obama and he would adopt durable coordinated defense posture between south Korea and the U.S. and resolutely cope with any threat and provocation from the north.

It seems that south Korea feels secured backed by the U.S. But it sounds pitiful when it will have to be accepted as its response to the north.

It's sure that the U.S. seeks its own national interests. But doubtful is what south Korea aims to gain by repeating the words of its alliance with the U.S.

As for the February 29 agreement, the north said that "it clarified in the three rounds of previous DPRK-U.S. high-ranking talks that satellite launch should never be included in the long-range missile launch". Mentioned in the agreement was the long-range missile, not satellite.

The north sent data about the place of the launch, orbit and multistage rocket separation to the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and other organizations consistent with international regulations and procedures.

It also invited foreign experienced experts on space science and technology and journalists to visit the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, the General Satellite Control and Command Centre and other places to observe its launch.

According to the February 29 agreement, the north also invited the delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the discussion of the procedures for the confirmation of the moratorium on uranium enrichment.

The north seems to have developed the technologies capable of putting into orbit working satellite, not only experimental satellites.

But the south has not yet developed missiles with more than 300 km at range, due to the U.S. restrictions. So the south launched satellites atop Russian missiles more than once only to fail.

The south now plans to lobby Japan, which invaded Korea in the past, to help it launch a satellite.

The south has treated Japan with generosity, showing signs of forgiveness, reconciliation and cooperation and letting Japanese Self-Defence Forces take part in south Korea-U.S. joint military drills. Although the south suffered from decades of the Japanese imperialists' occupation, it formed a friendly relationship with Japan two decades after Korea's liberation.

At this moment, the north is busy making preparations for the satellite launch while the south is facing the political situation ahead of the election of "National Assembly".

The south Koreans should approach the election with correct understanding of history and cool understanding of the times and with the awareness that alliance is temporary while the nation is eternal.

The first objective of the divided nation is the country's reunification. The south and the north should hold the initiative in reaching the south-north agreement on establishing federation at an early date.

This task is assigned to us. Who would dare try to control our destiny while we insist we can do it ourselves? We have experience of having done such a thing. That was the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration in 2000.

One rare idea comes up to my head over the controversy of satellite or missile. That is "the south and the north should meet and proclaim the Federal Republic of Corea and put the south artificial satellite into orbit by the north's carrier rocket Unha".

Then no country in the world will find fault with it, questioning whether it is a satellite or missile.

This is not a dream. This dream can and must come true.