N. Korea gives notice of pending closure of two air routes

SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has informed South Korean air traffic
control that it will temporarily close two air routes between April 4-8, during
which it aims to launch a satellite, officials said Saturday.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime said that the North Korean Air Route
Traffic Control Center informed its South Korean counterpart earlier in the day
of the planned closure.
"North Korean officials attributed the closure to the country's planned launch of
a satellite," said a ministry official.
North Korea will close only the Pyongyang-monitored parts of the two routes, R452
and G346 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the five days, according to the
ministry.
The former is a route between North Korea and Vladivostok, Russia, while the
latter is between North Korea and Japan.
The decision will not affect any South Korean airliners nor any foreign airliners
passing through South Korea, the ministry said.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
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