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WORLD NEWS Thursday 7 March 2019

North Korea said to be rebuilding structures at rocket site

By HYUNG-JIN KIM lite launches share similar
KIM TONG-HYUNG bodies, engines and oth-
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) er technology. They say
— North Korea is restoring each of the North's satellite
facilities at a long-range launches was believed to
rocket launch site that it have improved its missile
dismantled last year as part technology.
of disarmament steps, ac- After carrying out the third
cording to foreign experts of its three ICBM launches
and a South Korean law- in late 2017, North Korea
maker who was briefed by claimed to be able to at-
Seoul's spy service. tack the mainland United
The finding follows a high- States with nuclear-armed
stakes nuclear summit last missiles. Foreign missile
week between North Ko- experts say the North still
rean leader Kim Jong Un needs to master a few re-
and U.S. President Donald maining technologies, such
Trump that ended without as perfecting a re-entry ve-
any agreement. hicle, to have functioning
South Korea's National In- ICBMs.
telligence Service provid- In early 2018, North Korea
ed the assessment about abruptly expressed its in-
the North's Tongchang-ri tention to deal away its
launch site to lawmakers weapons arsenal in return
during a private briefing In this April 8, 2012, file photo, a soldier stands in front of the Unha-3 rocket at a launching site in for political and econom-
Tuesday. North Korea didn't Tongchang-ri, North Korea. ic benefits. The North has
immediately respond in its Associated Press since suspended nuclear
state media. and missile tests and dis-
An article from 38 North, cused each other of caus- nuclear diplomacy com- Beyond Parallel, a website mantled its underground
a website specializing in ing the summit breakdown, pletely collapses, or could run by the Center for Stra- nuclear testing site.
North Korea studies, cited but both sides left the door be an attempt to add tegic and International Its dismantling of parts of
commercial satellite imag- open for future negotia- structures that could be Studies think tank, issued the Tongchang-ri facility
ery as indicating that efforts tions. dramatically blown up in a a similar assessment of the occurred at the beginning
to rebuild some structures Trump said Kim told him show of denuclearization Tongchang-ri site. It said of U.S.-North Korea nego-
at the site started some- that North Korea would commitment when U.S. in- satellite imagery taken tiations last year. Both the
time between Feb. 16 and continue to suspend nucle- spectors visit if negotiations Saturday, two days after launch pad and engine
March 2. ar and missile tests while ne- with Washington go well. the failed summit, showed test stand were in about
Dismantling parts of its gotiations are underway, The NIS said it couldn't con- North Korea "is pursuing the same condition since
long-range rocket launch and South Korea and the firm the report on Suh's a rapid rebuilding" of the last August, according to
facility was among several U.S. announced Sunday briefing. rocket site. the 38 North report.
steps the North took last that they are eliminating The 38 North report pub- After repeated failures, After a September summit
year when it entered nu- massive springtime military lished Tuesday said the rail- North Korea successfully with South Korean President
clear talks with the United drills and replacing them mounted processing build- put a satellite into orbit for Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang,
States and South Korea. with smaller exercises in an ing, which is where space the first time in 2012 in a North Korea's capital, Kim
North Korea has carried out effort to support the talks. launch vehicles are worked launch from the site, which agreed to "permanently
satellite launches at the site One of the South Korean on before they're moved to is also known as the Sohae shut down" the Tongchang-
in recent years, resulting in lawmakers who attended the launch pad, is being re- Satellite Launching Station. ri engine test ground and
U.N. sanctions over expert the intelligence briefing assembled. It said two sup- North Korea had another rocket launch pad with the
claims that they were dis- said Wednesday that NIS port cranes can be seen successful satellite launch participation of foreign ex-
guised tests of banned mis- director Suh Hoon said the at the building, and walls in 2016. perts.
sile technology. structures being restored have been erected and a North Korea has said its sat- A statement issued by
It wasn't immediately clear at the launch site include new roof added. ellite launches are part of Kim and Moon catego-
how the report might affect roofs and building doors. At the engine test stand, its peaceful space devel- rized the steps as parts of
nuclear diplomacy. The The lawmaker requested the website said it appears opment program. None of a broader goal to make
Trump-Kim summit fell apart anonymity because of the that the engine support the country's high-profile the Korean Peninsula free
because of differences sensitive nature of the infor- structure is being reassem- missile tests, including three from nuclear weapons and
over how much sanction mation. bled. It said new roofs have ICBM launches in 2017, was nuclear threat. This could
relief North Korea could win He quoted Suh as saying been installed on the fuel conducted at the site. suggest that North Korea
in return for closing its aging that the move could be and oxidizer buildings. But many outside ex- acknowledged that the
main nuclear complex. The preparation to restart long- The report was written by perts say ballistic missiles Tongchang-ri site is a nucle-
U.S. and North Korea ac- range rocket launches if Jack Liu and Jenny Town. and rockets used in satel- ar-related facility.q