Airline companies move to avoid North Korean waters

Three Asian airlines are making changes to flight paths to avoid a North Korean rocket launch. Philippine Airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have announced changes to several routes.

These include about a dozen flights between Manila and the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. Philippine officials have also declared a no-fly zone and warned ships and fishing boats to avoid the area where rocket debris could fall, said an Associated Press report.

In a notice posted on its website, JAL said that the flight paths of four flights between Tokyo and Manila, Jakarta and Singapore would be adjusted, leading to an increase in flying time by five to 20 minutes.

Its domestic flights have not been affected and the airline has also made provisions for passengers booked on the affected flights to change their reservations.

Pyongyang says the rocket, to be launched between 12 to 16 April, will put a satellite into orbit. Meanwhile, a Pentagon representative said US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had spoken to his South Korean counterpart on the phone about the launch. “Both leaders would regard a missile launch by North Korea as a serious provocation and a violation of North Korea‘s international obligations and standing UN Security Council resolutions,” the representative said.

Pyongyang said the launch of a ’‘working satellite’‘ is for research purposes and to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of its late leader Kim Il-sung. However, opponents of the move fear it is a disguised test of long-range missile technology.

(아주경제 앤드류 이 기자)

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com