According to a statement from the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, China has deployed several vessels to search the waters where a North Korean satellite crashed shortly after launch.

The satellite, which North Korea claimed was for peaceful purposes, was widely condemned by the international community as a cover for testing ballistic missile technology.

The South Korean military said it detected the satellite’s trajectory and estimated its impact point in the Yellow Sea, near the maritime border between China and North Korea.

The ministry did not specify how many Chinese ships were involved in the search or what their intentions were, but urged China to respect the sovereignty and security of its neighbors.