On-again, off-again South Korea rocket launch is on again

Outgoing NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the “no-fly, no-sail, and no-fishing” zones would include the entire Bicol region, Samar and Leyte in Eastern Visayas, and Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Siargao Island, and Dinagat Islands province in the Caraga region.

Once again, the Philippines is on alert for the satellite launch of South Korea that has been postponed at least three times last year.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has announced a “no-fly, no-sail, and no-fishing” zone in the regions of Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga as a precautionary measure for the satellite launch that could take place between Wednesday and Feb. 8.

The restrictions would be implemented only between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., when the satellite launch is scheduled to take place. (The launch is scheduled between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Korea time).

The entire launch is expected to take 20 minutes.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) notified the NDRRMC of South Korean’s plans to push through with its satellite launch.

Outgoing NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the “no-fly, no-sail, and no-fishing” zones would include the entire Bicol region, Samar and Leyte in Eastern Visayas, and Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Siargao Island, and Dinagat Islands province in the Caraga region.

As previously announced, the exclusion zone covers 540 nautical miles east of the eastern seaboard of the Philippines.

South Korea’s 3rd Science and Technology Satellite-2 (STSAT-2) aboard Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) was initially scheduled to launch on Oct. 26 from the Naro Space Center on Naro Island in Goheung County, South Jeolla, some 485 kilometers south of Seoul.

Since then, it has been postponed at least three times.