Concerns are rising over North Korea's anticipated launch of a long-range missile. The South Korean government is cooperating with parties of the six-way nuclear talks while the U.S., Japan and even China are urging the North to withdraw its plan.

North Korea has announced it will launch the Eunha-3 rocket to put into orbit the Kwangmyongsong-3 working satellite. It said the launch window will be between December tenth and the 22nd.

Although the North maintains that it's launching a satellite, the international community considers it a long-range missile test launch. Technically, if a nuclear warhead is attached to a long-range rocket instead of a satellite, it becomes an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Around the time of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung's centennial birthday on April 13th, North Korea attempted a botched launch of the Eunha-3 rocket.

The North claims that in 1998, it fired a rocket and successfully shot into orbit the Kwangmyongsong-1 satellite and that the Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite was launched on a rocket in 2009.

Although both rockets were fired, there are no satellites in orbit and both launches were deemed failures. Clearly, Pyongyang is testing its intercontinental ballistic missiles disguised as a satellite launch. Despite its repeated failures, the North is believed to be reaping important information and results in extending the missile range.

A long-range rocket launch, even under the guise of a satellite, is nonetheless banned for North Korea, due to UN sanctions. If the nation goes ahead with the launch, it will likely receive additional sanctions.

A rocket launch increases tension on the Korean Peninsula and hinders regional peace building efforts, which is why even the North's steadfast ally China is against it.

North Korea reportedly informed the United States about the rocket launch through their so-called New York channel. In a December first statement, the State Department immediately responded to the news and called the launch a "highly provocative act."

China's foreign ministry also said the following day that North Korea's right to explore outer space should be restricted under UN resolutions and urged the North to act for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea will first, in joint efforts with the six-party talks members, seek to prevent the launch. If the launch is conducted, the UN Security Council will be convened and sanctions against Pyongyang will be strengthened. But Seoul believes blocking the launch is still the best way to move forward.