Related News
Reports claim DPRK preparing missile test
Source: Agencies |
February 4, 2009, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Democratic People's Republic of Korea appears to be preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile that could be capable of striking the western United States, an official from the Republic of Korea and other reports claimed yesterday.
The move comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, with the North declaring last week that it was abandoning pacts designed to prevent hostilities with the South.
The two Koreas technically remain at war because their three-year conflict ended in 1953 with a truce, not a peace treaty. Relations have been tense since President Lee Myung-bak took office a year ago with a tough new policy on Pyongyang, and rhetoric from the North Korean capital has escalated in recent days.
North Korea's clandestine missile program has been a key regional concern, along with its nuclear weapons program.
However, North Korea is not believed to have acquired the technology to develop a nuclear warhead light enough to be mounted on a missile, a South Korean intelligence official said. He did not give his name, citing departmental policy.
Analysts say reports that Pyongyang is preparing a missile test reflect its efforts to attract US President Barack Obama's attention as he formulates his North Korea policy. Obama told Lee that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would visit Seoul in mid-February.
South Korean intelligence spotted a train carrying a long, cylinder-shaped object believed to be a missile heading to a missile launch site on North Korea's west coast, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Intelligence indicates the missile is likely to be a long-range Taepodong-2 model, Yonhap said. The North could complete preparations for a missile launch within one or two months, the report said.
The move comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, with the North declaring last week that it was abandoning pacts designed to prevent hostilities with the South.
The two Koreas technically remain at war because their three-year conflict ended in 1953 with a truce, not a peace treaty. Relations have been tense since President Lee Myung-bak took office a year ago with a tough new policy on Pyongyang, and rhetoric from the North Korean capital has escalated in recent days.
North Korea's clandestine missile program has been a key regional concern, along with its nuclear weapons program.
However, North Korea is not believed to have acquired the technology to develop a nuclear warhead light enough to be mounted on a missile, a South Korean intelligence official said. He did not give his name, citing departmental policy.
Analysts say reports that Pyongyang is preparing a missile test reflect its efforts to attract US President Barack Obama's attention as he formulates his North Korea policy. Obama told Lee that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would visit Seoul in mid-February.
South Korean intelligence spotted a train carrying a long, cylinder-shaped object believed to be a missile heading to a missile launch site on North Korea's west coast, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Intelligence indicates the missile is likely to be a long-range Taepodong-2 model, Yonhap said. The North could complete preparations for a missile launch within one or two months, the report said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
