BACKBENCHER
Rod P. Kapunan
4/14-15/2012
The Democratic People Republic of Korea or North Korea has finally launched its Unha-3 rocket. The liquid-fueled three-stage rocket, in the category of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), was launched possibly to coincide with the 100th birthday of the founder of the DPRK, the late Kim Il Sung. According to Paek Chang Ho, the chief of the launch command center, the Unha-3 rocket will hurtle into orbit Kwangmyongsong-3 earth observation satellite from its Sohae Satellite Station at Tongcahng-ru located in North Korea's forested northwest area.
In responding to the anxiety of the US and some of its more ridiculous surrogate states like the Philippines, Chang Ho said, "the launching of the rocket together with its weather satellite is anything but a peaceful civilian bid to send a satellite into space." He added, "the satellite would send back images and data used for weather forecasts and agricultural surveys."
Pyongyang laughed off accusations that the launch is in preparation to its development of a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead. Ryu Kum Chol, vice director of the space development department of the Korean Central Space Committee said: "The launching is a sovereign right. The weight of our satellite is 100 kg. If it was a weapon, a 100 kg payload wouldn't have much of an effect … our launching tower is built on an open site."
Despite the assurance, the US has taken a more belligerent stand to pressure North Korea into canceling the scheduled launch. On the contrary, North Korea provided the International Maritime Organization a "launch window" or the path the rocket will pass as it soars into space.
Debris that could have fallen here, if any, would have been bits of small materials. This is why our clownish over- reaction has made us most ridiculous. In all these years, the US and the then-Soviet Union were locked in a space competition, now continued by Russia, and by a newcomer, China, the Philippines has never bothered about those wayward space junks that fall back to earth.
In fact, the possibility of a Filipino being hit by falling space garbage is one in a million. Nonetheless, droll states like South Korea and the Philippines exhibited unprecedented preparedness as though a meteor that could wipe out mankind is about to hit earth. They have re-routed flight paths to avoid the rocket's path. Korean Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have to change their flight path, something they never did before despite the fact that many satellites uncontrollably tumble back to earth causing little or no damage to anybody.
What is causing curiosity in the international community is the furious efforts of the US to prevent that country from launching its own rocket. According to US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, "the launch would be a direct threat to regional security." That makes everybody wonder.
The treaty on Principles Governing Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space do not impose any prohibition against any state, whether or not signatory to the treaty, from launching into outer space satellites for peaceful purposes. That position is based on the universally accepted principle that nobody owns the outer space or res nullius, nor can one appropriate that exclusively to the exclusion of the others.
It is from this standpoint why North Korea and the rest of the members of the international community ask what provocative step it committed, when it is merely exercising its right as a sovereign state to participate in the peaceful exploration of the outer space, using its own technology for the good of mankind?
On the contrary, the US has prejudged North Korea's rocket launch by claiming the project is tied up to its nuclear weapons program. Maybe that is plausible, but is there a law punishing states for an anticipated violation of an international treaty? The US ambassador to the UN even threatened to bring the matter to the Security Council to explore the possibility of legalizing an invasion of that hermitical state.
What is prohibited in the treaty that has been ratified by 90 states since it was opened for adhesion on January 27, 1967 is the placing of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear weapons, in space, in the moon or celestial bodies.
Because of North Korea's determination to exercise its right, the US has threatened to cut off its food aid program it signed last February on condition it freeze its nuclear weapons program and agrees to a missile test moratorium. But the condition it imposed is a blackmail only gangster states do. The evil motive becomes obvious that it wants to impose a monopoly on the use of the outer space.
The gambit is illegal because it imposes limitations on other states which it cannot without violating international law. If the US has allowed other countries like Russia, China, India and even the criminal Zionist state of Israel to carry out their own space programs, it is because of realpolitik that is no way it could prevent them without risking war.
(rodkap@yahoo.com.ph)
In responding to the anxiety of the US and some of its more ridiculous surrogate states like the Philippines, Chang Ho said, "the launching of the rocket together with its weather satellite is anything but a peaceful civilian bid to send a satellite into space." He added, "the satellite would send back images and data used for weather forecasts and agricultural surveys."
Pyongyang laughed off accusations that the launch is in preparation to its development of a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead. Ryu Kum Chol, vice director of the space development department of the Korean Central Space Committee said: "The launching is a sovereign right. The weight of our satellite is 100 kg. If it was a weapon, a 100 kg payload wouldn't have much of an effect … our launching tower is built on an open site."
Despite the assurance, the US has taken a more belligerent stand to pressure North Korea into canceling the scheduled launch. On the contrary, North Korea provided the International Maritime Organization a "launch window" or the path the rocket will pass as it soars into space.
Debris that could have fallen here, if any, would have been bits of small materials. This is why our clownish over- reaction has made us most ridiculous. In all these years, the US and the then-Soviet Union were locked in a space competition, now continued by Russia, and by a newcomer, China, the Philippines has never bothered about those wayward space junks that fall back to earth.
In fact, the possibility of a Filipino being hit by falling space garbage is one in a million. Nonetheless, droll states like South Korea and the Philippines exhibited unprecedented preparedness as though a meteor that could wipe out mankind is about to hit earth. They have re-routed flight paths to avoid the rocket's path. Korean Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have to change their flight path, something they never did before despite the fact that many satellites uncontrollably tumble back to earth causing little or no damage to anybody.
What is causing curiosity in the international community is the furious efforts of the US to prevent that country from launching its own rocket. According to US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, "the launch would be a direct threat to regional security." That makes everybody wonder.
The treaty on Principles Governing Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space do not impose any prohibition against any state, whether or not signatory to the treaty, from launching into outer space satellites for peaceful purposes. That position is based on the universally accepted principle that nobody owns the outer space or res nullius, nor can one appropriate that exclusively to the exclusion of the others.
It is from this standpoint why North Korea and the rest of the members of the international community ask what provocative step it committed, when it is merely exercising its right as a sovereign state to participate in the peaceful exploration of the outer space, using its own technology for the good of mankind?
On the contrary, the US has prejudged North Korea's rocket launch by claiming the project is tied up to its nuclear weapons program. Maybe that is plausible, but is there a law punishing states for an anticipated violation of an international treaty? The US ambassador to the UN even threatened to bring the matter to the Security Council to explore the possibility of legalizing an invasion of that hermitical state.
What is prohibited in the treaty that has been ratified by 90 states since it was opened for adhesion on January 27, 1967 is the placing of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear weapons, in space, in the moon or celestial bodies.
Because of North Korea's determination to exercise its right, the US has threatened to cut off its food aid program it signed last February on condition it freeze its nuclear weapons program and agrees to a missile test moratorium. But the condition it imposed is a blackmail only gangster states do. The evil motive becomes obvious that it wants to impose a monopoly on the use of the outer space.
The gambit is illegal because it imposes limitations on other states which it cannot without violating international law. If the US has allowed other countries like Russia, China, India and even the criminal Zionist state of Israel to carry out their own space programs, it is because of realpolitik that is no way it could prevent them without risking war.
(rodkap@yahoo.com.ph)
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