"No-one forbids anyone to launch satellites, but on the other hand, we must understand what kind of missile this is," Lavrov said.

"We monitor the situation and expect that everyone will employ restraint and keep to the obligations based on the UN resolutions," the minister said.

Last week North Korea, defying international warnings, said its preparations to launch a satellite are making "brisk headway" but gave no date for the exercise.

Seoul and Washington see such a launch as a pretext to test the Taepodong-2 missile, which could theoretically reach Alaska.

They say a rocket launch for any purpose would violate a UN resolution passed after the last missile test.