Seoul to respond to Pyongyang's possible rocket launch

South Korea on Tuesday said it will make rapid and effective responses to the possible launch of a long-range rocket by North Korea.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kwang-il said North Korea's launch of any ballistic missile will be a grave act of provocation and military threat in violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions that ban Pyongyang's all acts using any ballistic missile technology, reported Xinhua news agency.

To take effective measures in response to any North Korea launch of a long-range ballistic missile, South Korea will closely cooperate with related countries, including members of the UN Security Council, the spokesman said.

His comments came a day after North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) said it was accelerating efforts at the final stage of developing satellites for earth observations, indicating the long-range rocket launch on October 10.

The NADA director said successful progress has been made in its expansion of launching grounds for higher-level satellite lift-off.

He said the world will witness more satellites of Songun (military-first policy of the North) fired into the sky at the times and locations determined by its ruling party.

Such comments fuelled speculations that Pyongyang may test-fire a long-range rocket around the upcoming October 10 grand celebrations.

North Korea recently erected a 67-meter-long launch tower for long-range rockets, taller than the previous 50-meter pad.

The country fired a three-stage Unha-3 rocket into the space orbit in December 2012, two months before its third nuclear test.