North Korea may have moved the first stage of a long-range rocket on to its launch pad, ahead of its possible lift-off next week, according to a U.S. specialist website.
The 38 North website (38north.org) said an April 4 photo of the launch site at Tongchang-ri in the country's northwest indicated the first stage of the Unha-3 rocket, while not visible, may be placed in the gantry.
The impoverished communist state says its rocket will put a peaceful satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and other nations see it as a pretext for a long-range missile test banned by the United Nations.
The website said that commercial satellite photographs reveal the gantry's work platform is now covered and closed around the mobile launch stand, indicating work is being conducted inside.
While this makes it impossible to determine whether the Unha-3 rocket or any part of it is erected on the pad, evidence suggests that the first stage has been placed as an expected launch nears, 38 North said.
Recent fuelling activity seems to have been completed, with most of the empty fuel and oxidizer tanks apparently having been removed from buildings that supply the first stage, it said.
Security has also been tightened with a barricade or security checkpoint set up for vehicles entering from the west, the only road to the launch pad from other main facilities at the range.
The launch pad itself has been cleared, with objects previously seen near the gantry now removed, it said.
The website, however, did not publish the satellite photos obtained from Geoeye on April 4. The satellite provider subsequently withdrew those pictures from its public catalogue and asked that they not be published, it said.
North Korea is preparing mass celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary on April 15 of the birth of Kim Il-Sung, the country's first and "eternal" president and founder of the dynasty which has ruled uninterrupted since 1948.
A successful satellite launch would burnish the image of his grandson Kim Jong-Un as he seeks to establish his credentials as a strong leader. (AFP)
<한글기사>
"北 미사일, 주말 발사대 설치 완료"
북한이 이번 주말까지 장거리 탄도미사일의 발사대 설치를 완료할 것이라고 일본의 아사히TV가 6일 보도했다.
이 방송은 소식통을 인용해 "북한이 이미 미사일을 발사대에 설치하기 위한 준 비를 끝냈다"고 전했다.
방송은 "주말에 미사일을 발사대에 설치하는 작업을 완료할 예정이며, 내주 초 부터 본격적인 발사 준비를 시작할 전망"이라고 보도했다.
니혼TV는 북한이 인공위성이라고 부르는 사실상의 미사일 발사와 관련, 3단 로 켓 가운데 1단을 발사대에 이미 설치한 것으로 보인다고 일본 정부 관계자의 말을 인용해 전했다.
이 방송은 위성 분석을 통해 일본 정부가 이런 사실을 확인했으며, 정부 관계자 는 "이달 12일 이후의 발사를 위해 북한이 순조롭게 준비를 진행하고 있다"고 말했 다고 보도했다.
