North Korea says it could retaliate in the event the United States or Japan seeks to intercept a satellite Pyongyang is planning to launch.

According to an official at North Korea’s Embassy in Beijing Monday, Pyongyang may launch a counterattack against Japan or the U.S. if either attempts to shoot down the satellite, which it says it’s launching as part of its peaceful space program.

The official said that as a member of the international community, the North has the right to use airspace for peaceful purposes.

Admiral Timothy Keating of the U.S. Pacific Command said last month that the U.S. military will be prepared to shoot down any North Korean ballistic missile.