North Korea’s Sohae launch site in Dongchang Village, North Pyongan Province, shown in a satellite image taken on February 1 by Airbus Defence and Space and made public by the North Korea affairs website 38 North on February 3.
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The North was believed to be making preparations for a test launch of a long-range rocket, U.S. officials have said, after activity at its test site was observed by satellite.
“In the past, such activity has occurred 1-2 weeks prior to a launch event and would be consistent with North Korea’s announced launch window”, the report said.
North Korea is expected to launch a rocket-bearing satellite sometime this month as part of its space program.
China has told North Korea that it hopes nothing adds further strain to an already tense situation, according to the country’s Foreign Minister on Friday, ahead of Pyongyang’s planned satellite launch.
North Korea conducted a failed missile test in 2012, just two days before the 100th birthday on April 15 of North Korea’s late founder, Kim Il Sung.
Japan has said it put its military on alert to shoot down any rocket that threatens its territory.
“The fact that North Korea said it will launch a long-range missile following its nuclear test is a threat to peace on the Korean peninsula and to the world, and should never be tolerated”, Park said.
The two leaders said they would also co-ordinate efforts to respond to North Korea’s purported hydrogen bomb test last month.
South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye says a planned rocket launch by North Korea could “ne …”
South Korea said a total of 39 flights to and from the southern resort island of Jeju would be rerouted, involving the country’s two main carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, as well as some Chinese carriers.
A panel of committee experts had suggested in a report that North Korea’s reconnaissance administration was operating drones that were likely modified versions of China’s UV10 drones, manufactured by Beijing-based Microfly Engineering Technology, Kyodo News reported.
The South Korean side expects close coordination by the global community and expects the UN Security Council to make a response as soon as possible, to effectively tackle the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, Park said.
The separated first stage was predicted to fall in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of South Korea, followed by a second-stage splashdown in the Philippine Sea.
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To detect and track the possibly launched DPRK rocket, the South Korean military deployed various surveillance assets, including Aegis-equipped destroyer, ground-based Green Pine radar and Peace Eye airborne early warning and control aircraft.
