The defense ministry is closely watching for a third attempt by North Korea to launch a military reconnaissance satellite in the early morning on Wednesday.

According to ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu at a regular briefing on Tuesday, the first and second attempts occurred on the first day of the notice period, specifically at dawn, prompting the expectation of a launch Wednesday morning if weather conditions are favorable.

The comments come after North Korea notified Japan of its plans to launch a space rocket sometime between Wednesday and the end of next Thursday.

Jeon repeatedly emphasized that North Korea’s launch of a military recon satellite is a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and called for an immediate cessation.