Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said on Sunday that North Korea may launch its military reconnaissance satellite as early as this week.

Appearing on a KBS program, Shin said that the launch could take place within a week or before South Korea launches its first reconnaissance satellite on Falcon 9, the United States aerospace company SpaceX's two-stage rocket, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on November 30.

The defense chief said that South Korea and the United States are monitoring North Korea's movements, adding that the North’s preparations are underway for a launch to take place within a week.

He also said that the North is believed to have almost resolved its engine problems with Russia's help.

Minister Shin repeated his call for the suspension of the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at halting hostile activities between the two Koreas.

He said that if the North launches a spy satellite, the government will swiftly begin discussions with related ministries to suspend the agreement.