DPRK satellite launch plans trigger concern among regional neighbors

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's satellite launch plan triggered widespread concern from regional countries on Sunday, with Pyongyang intending to implement the plan between Dec 10 and 22.

With the satellite launch, the DPRK is attempting to grab the attention of the international community, rather than intensify the situation on the Korean Peninsula, said Wang Fan, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.

The isolated DPRK needs a favorable international atmosphere to develop its domestic economy, and it is warning the international community to take it seriously and hold talks with the country, said Wang Junsheng, a researcher of East Asian studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.