N. Korea rocket launch suspected soon

Fresh satellite images suggest North Korea has completed upgrades at its main satellite launch site, fueling speculation of a long-range rocket launch to coincide with a major political anniversary in October, AFP reports.

The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University says that analysis of the new pictures showed that construction begun in spring 2015 at the Sohae launch center had been concluded.

As a result, space launch vehicle (SLV) stages — and payload — can be prepared horizontally in a new launch support building, then transferred to a movable support structure and conveyed to the launch pad.

The analysis, posted on the institute’s closely watched 38North website, will reinforce predictions that the North is preparing a long-range rocket launch to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers’ Party on October 10.

At a rare press conference on Wednesday, North Korea’s envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, So Se Pyong, insisted that improving satellite capacity was “the right of sovereign countries”.

The North insists its rocket launches are intended only to put peaceful satellites into orbit, while the US and its allies see them as banned tests of ballistic missile technology.

Asked specifically about upgrades to the main launch site at Sohae he confirmed that such upgrades had been ongoing but did not specify that they had been completed.

“This is (our) right to upgrade and upgrade and update all the technologies… for that satellite also,” So said.

— AFP