The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) accused the United States of spying on the site of an impending rocket launch and threatened yesterday to shoot down any US planes that intrude into its airspace.

The DPRK says it will send a communications satellite into orbit on a multistage rocket between Saturday and next Wednesday. The US, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan think Pyongyang is using the launch to test long-range missile technology, and they warn Pyongyang would face sanctions under a UN Security Council resolution banning it from ballistic activity.

Pyongyang's state radio accused US RC-135 surveillance aircraft of spying on the launch site on its northeastern coast, according to the ROK's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of monitoring the DPRK.