Ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said Saturday that the North didn’t inform global organizations of any other changes and that the rocket’s expected flight path remains the same.
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AFP reported that the updated notification stated no reason for the change in dates.
An official from the Korea Meteorological Administration, South Korea’s weather agency, said that rain or snow was expected in the North Korean region where the launchpad is located on Monday, Thursday and next Saturday.
Based on coordinates provided by North Korea to the IMO, the first stage and fairing of the rocket will drop off in waters between South Korea and China.
North Korea is said to be preparing for the celebration of Kim Jong-il’s birthday on February 16, which will be followed by a large gathering of the country’s ruling Worker’s Party in May.
North Korea began fueling the rocket for launch on Friday.
The 38 North report said activity could also be seen around a building at the launch site used in the past to receive and assemble rocket stages.
“My guess is that if you took the rocket they used last time and put a warhead on it you probably would not be able to reach the United States”, said David Wright, co-director and senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists.
On Friday, US President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Chinese President Xi Jinping of China, North Korea’s main ally, and agreed that the secretive nation’s planned launch would represent a “provocative and destabilising action”, the White House said.
The announcement comes a month after Pyongyang said it carried out a hydrogen bomb test – a claim that was viewed with a heavy dose of skepticism by most of the global community.
The JDS Kirishima was deployed in March 2012 in response to North Korea’s failed launch of the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite, which was also alleged to be a missile test.
The Sohae lauch facility on the west coast of North Korea is shown in a satellite image from Centre National d’etudes Spatiales and Airbus Defence & Space / Spot Image, provided by the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies via 38 North. The website 38 North says North Korea appears to have brought in fuel in preparation for a rocket launch.
But he said Beijing strongly disapproved of the United States’ planned sanctions, and he urged Washington to do more to create a better atmosphere.
South Korea has warned of shooting down debris that fall on its territory or territorial waters from a North Korean rocket, which was estimated by the Seoul military to fly over the western border island of Baengnyeong at an altitude of about 180 km.
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A month after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, talks on new sanctions against the reclusive state remain deadlocked at the U.N. Security Council, leaving some council members increasingly frustrated.
