Japan unconcerned about S. Korea's 1st space rocket launch+

TOKYO, Aug. 19 Kyodo -
Japan is unconcerned about the launch of South Korea's first space rocket,
which will fly over Japanese territory, as the two countries have communicated
about the matter, the government's top spokesman said Wednesday, prior to
Seoul's decision later in the day to postpone the launch immediately before the
liftoff.

''We have been briefed that if some abnormality occurs, they will terminate the
flight, and that no poisonous propulsion solutions or hazardous materials will
be loaded,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference.
''It's hard to predict damage to our territorial land or water.''
South Korea was preparing to launch the rocket Wednesday but postponed it after
problems developed during the final countdown. The rocket was expected to fly
over the southwestern island of Okinawa.
Kawamura noted differences between South Korea's planned launch and North
Korea's launch of a rocket in April, which flew over northeastern Japan amid
public fears that it might fall somewhere in the country.
''We have had detailed briefings from the South Korean side, and the South
Korean side has taken all possible measures,'' he said. ''That is what sets it
clearly apart from North Korea.''
North Korea said last week it was closely watching Wednesday's planned rocket
launch, indicating North Korea may again declare that its April 5 rocket
launch, which the U.N. Security Council condemned in a presidential statement,
was legitimate.
North Korea says its launch was to put a satellite into orbit, but others
considered the act a cover for testing Pyongyang's long-range ballistic missile
technology.
==Kyodo