The nation's first combined civil and military communications satellite will blast into orbit from a platform in the Pacific Ocean in late July.

Korea Telecom, the operator of the project, said Monday that it had decided on a sea-based launch for the Koreasat-V after considering various factors, including safety, the environment, and international laws.

The satellite, also known as Mugunghwa-V, will be launched from a large vessel in waters south of the Hawaiian Archipelago and orbit the earth at an altitude of around 36-thousand kilometers.

The occasion will mark the first sea-based launch for a South Korean satellite and the 23rd in the world to oversee such a launch.

The logistics of the operation will be handled by Sea Launch, an international firm jointly owned by major companies of the U.S., Russia, Norway and Ukraine.

Koreasat-V will replace Koreasat-II, which is close to the end of its operational life. South Korea currently has three satellites in orbit. Koreasat-I and II are used to provide trunk relay for high-speed data and direct TV broadcasting services throughout the Korean Peninsula.

Koreasat-III is capable of providing high-tech services, including multimedia, tele-education, and super-speed satellite service between local area networks and traffic information broadcasting.