North Korea fuels missile rumours

by Sanjay Jha | February 16, 2009 at 01:07 am

77 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

North Korea is reported to be preparing for a missile test around Feb. 25, the first anniversary of the South Korean President’s inauguration. This action could undermine peace effort initiated by USA.

North Korea has asserted its right to "space development", amid speculation that it plans to launch a missile test. In state media, it accused countries of trying to block its "peaceful research" and said: "One will come to know later what will be launched."
Experts say "space development" has been used before for a rocket launch.

North Korea denied it was seeking attention, as Hillary Clinton begins a visit to the region as US President Barack Obama's secretary of state.

Speculation that North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile has persisted for two weeks, following surveillance reports of long objects being moved towards the coast and of Chinese ships vacating the area.

North Korea Monday denied that it was preparing to test-launch a long-range missile, claiming its recent moves are related to Missile testing.

A statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) was reminiscent of the North's comments in 1998, when it claimed a rocket it launched was really a satellite, according to Yonhap News.

The denial comes following intelligence reports from Seoul that North Korea is assembling a long-range missile at the country's eastern launch site.

"Recently the U.S. and some other countries claimed that the DPRK is making 'preparations for launching long-distance missile,'" the KCNA was quoted as saying.

"This is a vicious trick to put a brake on the wheel of not only the DPRK's building of military capability for self-defense but also scientific researches for peaceful purpose under the pretext of missile," it said.