North Korea confirms it will launch spy satellite in June

Japan said Monday it had been informed by Pyongyang that a satellite launch could happen as early as this week, but Tokyo warned the North may in fact be planning a sanctions-defying ballistic missile test.

KCNA cited Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the ruling party's central military commission, as saying the "military reconnaissance satellite No. 1" would be "launched in June".

That satellite, along with "various reconnaissance means due to be newly tested, are indispensable to tracking...