Critics have said Pyongyang’s satellite launches are a cover for a test of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, but the North has challenged those claims.
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“North Korea has a tunnel where it can conduct an additional nuclear test”, Moon said.
North Korea’s last launch over neighboring territories, a Taepodong long-range missile launch in 1998, caused major problems with its relationship with Tokyo, due to the risk of falling debris on populated areas. “By one estimate, this amount would have been nearly enough to both fund North Korea’s uranium enrichment facilities, and design, make and test its nuclear weapons”.
He said the military will be monitoring the situation closely amid speculation that North Korea is gearing up to launch another long-range missile to mark the founding day of its ruling Workers’ Party on October 10.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is said to have overseen the launch and is quoted by KCNA news agency as ordering officials to prepare for a satellite launch “as soon as possible”.
Asked whether he had confidence that China would do its part to implement sanctions, Kawamura said Chinese and Japanese officials had spoken several times about the North Korea issue, adding that he hoped China would be “responsible” as a Security Council member.
There is growing speculation that the North might be planning to launch another long-range missile or some other provocative act to mark the 68th anniversary of the foundation of the ruling Worker’s Party on October 10th. The location is where the country launched another rocket this past February that was widely seen as a test of the country’s long-range ballistic technology.
It has been angered by Pyongyang’s repeated nuclear and missile tests and signed on to increasingly tough United Nations sanctions, but it has said it believes such steps are not the ultimate answer and called for a return to talks with North Korea.
North Korea has been testing nuclear devices since 2006, and was hit by five sets of Western sanctions over its actions, but vowed to carry on with the drills.
The rocket engine test, which North Korea says is for launching satellites, comes after the North conducted its biggest-ever nuclear test earlier this month, and as South Korea says it believes Pyongyang is gearing up to conduct further atomic detonations. “We are still analysing if the test was really successful”, Seoul’s Joint Chief of Staff spokesman said.
The test, Pollack said, may be the result of cooperation with Iran.
KCNA gave no date for the test but it is customary for state media to report Kim’s activities with a day’s lapse. “The U.S., South Korea, and Japan must be in the driving seat to lead the global debate”.
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World powers have viewed previous satellite launches as a disguise for the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, equipped to mount a nuclear warhead.
