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North Korea conducts a test launch of its international continental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15 on Nov. 29

North Korea has agreed to accept inspections from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) over the issue of its unannounced ballistic missile launches, the Kyodo News reported on Aug. 19. The ICAO is currently coordinating with North Korea to dispatch staff members next year to conduct the inspections, according to the report.

The ICAO intends to check on the actions that North Korea has taken in order to comply with its declaration to refrain from unannounced missile launches, the report stated. The last time that North Korea gave advance notice to the ICAO regarding ballistic missile launches was in February 2016 with the launch of the Kwangmyongsong-4.

The ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations headquartered in Montreal, Canada, and has 192 member nations, including North Korea.

As a signatory to both the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, North Korea is required to provide advance notice and relevant information about its missile launches in order to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft and ships. During its missile tests that were conducted last year, however, North Korea did not provide this information to relevant international organizations, including the ICAO and International Maritime Organization (IMO).

By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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