The military force of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will attack Japan's interceptor weapons and other key objects if Japan intercepts DPRK's satellite launch, the official KCNA news agency cited the General Staff as saying Thursday.

If Japan takes "any slight move" to intercept the DPRK's satellite, the country's army will make a "prompt just retaliatory strike at it," said a statement issued by the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA).

The statement reiterated that the exploration of the space for peaceful purpose is a legitimate right of a sovereignty country and the DPRK will not allow any interference from anyone to its launch. It also warned the United States to withdraw its missile guided destroyers, least suffering losses. And South Korea should "refrain from disturbing the launch."

The DPRK has declared it will launch a communication satellite sometime between April 4 and 8. Japan ordered its military force to intercept debris of the DPRK's rocket, in case the test-firing failed and fell on Japanese territory.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2009)