North Korea notified United Nations agencies earlier in the week of its plan to launch an Earth observation satellite between February 8 and 25 as part of its national space development program, following its fourth nuclear test January 6, which has prompted the United Nations council to consider a punitive response.
Advertisement
The Japanese government said North Korea had informed the International Maritime Organization of the new schedule, according to NHK.
No reason was given Saturday for the change of dates.
The United States and many other countries suspect the planned launch is a cover for testing a long-range ballistic missile in violation of U.N. resolutions banning North Korea from using such technology.
Japan and South Korea said North Korea was now saying the launch would take place some time between Sunday and the following Sunday, Feb. 14.
USA officials have said the same type of rocket used to launch the satellite could deliver a nuclear warhead.
North Korea last launched a long-range rocket in December 2012, sending into orbit an object it described as a communications satellite.
Commercial satellite images from Wednesday and Thursday show the arrival of tanker trucks at the launch pad, said Washington-based 38 North, a North Korea-monitoring project.
Of North Korea’s four nuclear tests so far, this is the first time South Korean and Chinese leaders held a phone conversation and discussed countermeasures.
The initial window announced by the North on Tuesday had been February 8-25.
US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping have said they would give a “strong” response to North Korea’s planned missile launch.
North Korea said last month that it is ready to detonate hydrogen bombs capable of wiping out the U.S “all at once”, insisting that it has succeeded in developing miniaturized nuclear weapons.
Advertisement
The USS Benfold, a guided-missile destroyer, arrived on Friday in Otaru, Japan, one of five USA destroyers equipped with Aegis ballistic missile defense systems that are girding for the potential launch, according to several sources. Japan has already deployed Patriot missile batteries in Tokyo and on the southern island of Okinawa to shoot down any debris from the rocket that might threaten to fall on Japanese territory.
