Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea plans to launch an "earth observation" satellite using a carrier rocket in April, the country's official news agency said Friday, a move that would potentially violate U.N. Security Council demands.
The announcement also could threaten a deal struck last month with the United States in which Pyongyang agreed to halt nuclear tests, long-range missile launches and enrichment activities in exchange for food aid.
Several nations who sit on the U.N. Security Council quickly criticized the North Korean announcement.
The United States released a statement describing the announcement as "highly provocative," saying North Korea is violating its international obligations.
"This calls into question whether, when the DPRK entered into that agreement with us, they did so in good faith," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, referring to the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
At the time of the agreement, under which North Korea would receive 240,000 metric tons of food aid, the United States told Pyongyang that such a launch would be contrary to the accord, she said.
"Frankly, if they were to go forward with this launch, it's very hard to imagine how we would be able to move forward with a regime whose word we have no confidence in and who has egregiously violated its international commitments," she said.
The French Foreign Ministry on Friday also called the move a provocation. North Korea "must abandon" plans to launch a rocket to put a satellite into orbit next month, because doing so violates the terms of U.N. Security Council resolutions, it said.
"The launching of a rocket by North Korea would contribute to the development of its ballistic missile capabilities," the ministry said.
Russia called the announcement a "grave concern."
"We are calling on Pyongyang not to oppose the international community, stay away from actions that heat up the situation in the region creating additional complications for re-launching the six-party talks on the nuclear problem on the Korean Peninsula," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Previous satellite launches by the reclusive North Korean regime have been widely viewed as ballistic missile test launches in disguise.
The last time Pyongyang carried out what it described as a satellite launch, in April 2009, the U.N. Security Council condemned the action, saying it breached a resolution forbidding North Korea from conducting "missile-related activities."
The Security Council demanded that North Korea not conduct further launches.
South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday it urged the North to respect the United Nations ruling and "observe its international responsibility."
The North's official Korean Central News Agency said that the planned launch -- scheduled for between April 12 and April 16 -- is to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the country's founder, Kim Il Sung. It cited a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology.
The centenary of Kim Il Sung's birth is a huge event in the North Korean calendar. It takes place after the death of his son, Kim Jong Il, in December. Kim Jong Il was succeeded as the "supreme leader" of the secretive state by his youngest son, Kim Jong Un.
"They're trying to remind the world they are dangerous and working hard to develop a delivery system," said Professor Andrei Lankov at Kookmin University in Seoul.
He noted that almost the same technology is needed for both satellite and missile launches.
North Korea will "abide by relevant international regulations and usage concerning the launch of scientific and technological satellites for peaceful purposes," the North Korean news agency said.
The satellite, named Kwangmyongsong-3, will be "blasted off southward" from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in the western province of North Phyongan, according to the official report.
"A safe flight orbit has been chosen so that carrier rocket debris to be generated during the flight would not have any impact on neighboring countries," the report said.
North Korea's previous rocket launches that it said aimed to put satellites in orbit were Kwangmyongsong-1 in 1998 and Kwangmyongsong-2 in 2009.
While Pyongyang says those launches succeeded, outside agencies have found no evidence of the satellites being successfully placed in orbit.
Experts say that Kwangmyongsong-2 flew over Japan before crashing, farther than any other North Korean missile. The 2,000-mile flight suggested North Korea is getting better at building long-range missiles.
"The upcoming launch will greatly encourage the army and people of the DPRK in the building of a thriving nation and will offer an important occasion of putting the country's technology of space use for peaceful purposes on a higher stage," the news agency report said Friday.
CNN's Tim Schwartz contributed to this report.
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