North Korea has built an underground fueling station at its long-range missile test site, making it harder for US spy satellites to predict the date of a launch, a news report said yesterday.
South Korea’s Dong-a Ilbo newspaper, quoting intelligence sources, said Pyongyang completed the underground facility at Musudan-ri on its northeast coast sometime between late last year and early this year.
North Korea, defying international warnings, said on Tuesday its preparations to launch a satellite were making “brisk headway,” but gave no date for the exercise.
Seoul and Washington see such a launch as a pretext to test the Taepodong-2 missile, which could theoretically reach Alaska. They say a rocket launch for any purpose would violate a UN resolution passed after the last missile test.
“We presume that whatever claims North Korea makes, it will have launched a ballistic missile,” said Seoul foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young, adding that there was no commercial demand for such a satellite.
Pyongyang late on Wednesday vowed “no one can stop us” from going ahead and cited Iran’s recent successful satellite launch, Seoul’s Yonhap news agency reported.
The North formerly used trucks and ground facilities visible from spy satellites to fuel its missiles.
“If liquid fuel is pumped into missile projectiles at underground facilities, the North can dodge US surveillance satellites,” one source told Dong-a. “The North is now capable of conducting the most important part of preparations for a missile launch behind the scenes.”
Another intelligence source told the paper the new facilities would likely shorten the launch preparation time to one or two days. Fueling previously took four or five days, Dong-a reported.
The National Intelligence Service had no comment on the report.
North Korea test-launched a Taepodong-1 missile in 1998 from Musudan-ri and fired a Taepodong-2 in 2006 from the same site. The Taepodong-2 failed after 40 seconds, but sparked international concern and UN sanctions.
“The peaceful advance into space and its use is a just policy of our republic that matches the current times and no one can stop us from this,” the North’s state radio Korean Central Broadcasting Station said late on Wednesday.
Its statement was carried by Yonhap, which monitors the North’s broadcast media.
In the statement entitled “Everyone has the right to peaceful space use,” the North said Iran’s satellite launch “demonstrated its national power” and proved that a monopoly can no longer exist in space development.
Iran said on Feb. 3 it had launched its first domestically made satellite, prompting expressions of concern from world powers.
“The United States and Western countries are fussing around in chorus, saying Iran’s satellite launch through a carrier rocket was to develop ballistic missile technology,” the radio station said.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
EUROPEAN FUTURE? Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says only he could secure EU membership, but challenges remain in dealing with corruption and a brain drain Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama seeks to win an unprecedented fourth term, pledging to finally take the country into the EU and turn it into a hot tourist destination with some help from the Trump family. The artist-turned-politician has been pitching Albania as a trendy coastal destination, which has helped to drive up tourism arrivals to a record 11 million last year. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also joined in the rush, pledging to invest US$1.4 billion to turn a largely deserted island into a luxurious getaway. Rama is expected to win another term after yesterday’s vote. The vote would
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
RSS