SEOUL: The Republic of Korea (ROK) is counting down to its first space launch today that will likely open the door to its nascent rocket program and rile neighbor the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), hit by UN sanctions after its own rocket launch in April.

The ROK, which has relied on other countries to launch its satellites, plans to send a domestically built satellite into orbit on its rocket Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1, also known as Naro-1, from its space center in the south of country.

The Naro-1 is 33 meters long and the two-stage rocket was built at a cost of 502.5 billion won ($400 million), according to the ROK's Yonhap news agency.