The nation’s first-ever space rocket launch will proceed on Wednesday as scheduled, despite the death of former President Kim Dae-jung.

The presidential office said Tuesday that all government affairs will be carried out as planned unless they obstruct the nation's mourning of the late former president.

Presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan told a news briefing that carrying on state affairs as usual also would have been what the former president wanted.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said following news of Kim's death earlier in the day that it was holding an emergency meeting to decide whether to delay the launch of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-One (KSLV-1).

Kim was the president from 1998 to 2003. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts toward the reconciliation of the two Koreas. He died Tuesday afternoon at the age of 85.