The United States has seen increased activity around a North Korean missile site, suggesting preparations for a possible space launch in the near future, U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday.
The finding was revealed as Washington shows growing concern that Pyongyang could use space technology to enhance its missile capability and while United Nations Security Council members discuss fresh sanctions against North Korea after it conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6.
The officials cited intelligence suggesting movement of components and propellant at North Korea's Sohae satellite launch facility. A test could take place within a couple of weeks, they said.
"Our concern though is ... it's the same technology to develop ICBMs" (inter-continental ballistic missiles), one of the officials said.
"We are keeping a close eye on these activities by the North Koreans. We're watching 24/7," a second official said.
READ: North Korea may be readying long-range missile launch soon - Kyodo
Joe Bermudez, chief analytics officer at commercial intelligence firm AllSource Analysis, said open source imagery showed increased activity at the site in northwestern North Korea.
Movement of vehicles, construction and other activities suggested test preparations for a rocket engine test soon, Bermudez said. Activities were also noted at the launch pad, however, but it was not clear whether a rocket had already been delivered to the site.
North Korea was concealing activities on the site through construction of new buildings and a cover that obscures satellite views of the gantry tower next to the launch pad.
"This is the first time leading up to a potential launch that all the concealment shelters are in place," said Stephen Wood, chief executive officer of AllSource.
An analysis by 38 North, a North Korea monitoring project at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, said the cover near the gantry tower could conceal a rocket, and a rail-mounted shelter has been moved adjacent to the engine-test stand on the site.
The shelter could allow for rocket stages to be assembled and moved to the tower under cover of darkness of heavy clouds, 38 North found. It is large enough to conceal the first stage of North Korea’s Musudan intermediate range ballistic missile, its Unha space-launch vehicle, or a new rocket engine.
The analysis said commercial satellite images, taken as a series of "snapshots" from Dec. 28 to Jan. 25, showed “low-level activities” throughout the Sohae Rocket Launch Facility.
North Korea last conducted a long-range rocket launch in late 2012, sending an object it described as a communications satellite into orbit. Western and Asian experts said it was part of an effort to build an ICBM.
South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok declined to comment on possible pre-launch activities by North Korea, citing a policy of not discussing intelligence matters.
North Korea has not yet warned about potential interference with navigation, a step it has taken ahead of previous launches, he said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during a trip to China this week warned against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's declared intention to develop an ICBM with the capacity to carry a nuclear warhead.
"It is a threat the United States must take extremely seriously," Kerry told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday.
"The United States will do what is necessary to protect people in our country and our friends and allies in the world," Kerry said.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Thursday carried out a test of ground-based interceptors at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a source with knowledge of the test said. The test, aimed at improving the reliability of U.S. interceptors based in Alaska and California, met the agency's objectives, the source said.
The U.S. military is adding 14 interceptors to the 30 already in place, and defence advocates have called for increasing the number of interceptors.
Meanwhile, on Thursday the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved legislation to broaden existing sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear programme, human rights record and cyber activities.
Reuters
Fri Jan 29 2016
![North Korea activity points to possible space launch - US officials North Korea activity points to possible space launch - US officials](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-01/71454030630_NorthSatelite.jpg)
Airbus Defense & Space and 38 North satellite imagery dated January 25, 2016 shows what is described by 38 North as an overview of Sohae Satellite Launching Station in North Korea, in this image released on January 28, 2016. REUTERS
![Perundangan baharu diperkenal kawal selia Badan Berkanun Persekutuan - Pejabat PM Perundangan baharu diperkenal kawal selia Badan Berkanun Persekutuan - Pejabat PM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-10/51696910524_PUTRAPERDANA.jpg)
Perundangan baharu diperkenal kawal selia Badan Berkanun Persekutuan - Pejabat PM
Satu perundangan baharu akan diperkenalkan bertujuan mengawal selia Badan Berkanun Persekutuan (BBP) serta syarikat-syarikat di bawahnya.
![Harga petrol, diesel kekal hingga 24 Julai Harga petrol, diesel kekal hingga 24 Julai](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/61717993469_RON.jpg)
Harga petrol, diesel kekal hingga 24 Julai
Kementerian Kewangan dalam kenyataan hari ini memaklumkan harga runcit diesel di Sabah, Sarawak dan Labuan kekal pada paras RM2.15 seliter.
![Ladang kelapa sawit dipercayai lokasi Nur Farah Kartini dibunuh - Polis Ladang kelapa sawit dipercayai lokasi Nur Farah Kartini dibunuh - Polis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721210176_TBFARAHMAYAT.jpg)
Ladang kelapa sawit dipercayai lokasi Nur Farah Kartini dibunuh - Polis
Polis percaya kawasan ladang kelapa sawit di Kampung Sri Kledang di sini adalah lokasi Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, dipercayai dibunuh.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Bola sepak Malaysia selepas Kim Pan Gon
Niaga AWANI: BSKL dijangka melepasi 1,700 mata pada akhir 2024
Bursa Malaysia dijangka mencatatkan aliran meningkat dengan indeks utama FBM KLCI dijangka melepasi paras 1,700 mata menjelang akhir tahun ini.
Niaga AWANI: Harga emas rekod paras tertinggi dalam sejarah
Harga emas dilaporkan naik ke paras tertinggi dalam sejarah hari ini. Ia berikutan kenyataan terbaharu daripada pegawai Rizab Persekutuan (FED) Amerika Syarikat yang meningkatkan jangkaan bahawa akan berlaku penurunan kadar faedah pada September.
Suspek masih belum digantung tugas
Polis Perak sedang menunggu hasil siasatan terhadap suspek sebelum tindakan menggantung tugas sebagai anggota polis.
Dasar digital perlu pastikan jurang antara miskin dan kaya tidak terus melebar
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata, beliau bukan mahu bersikap negatif terhadap golongan elit, namun menegaskan bahwa sekiranya tidak dikawal, kesenjangan di antara kaya dan miskin akan terus melebar.
Ahli Dewan Rakyat wajib jalani pemeriksaan kesihatan
Semua Ahli Dewan Rakyat diwajibkan untuk menjalani pemeriksaan kesihatan selewat-lewatnya pada 11 November depan.
![Jenazah Nur Farah Kartini dijangka dituntut selepas DNA ibu diambil - Abang Jenazah Nur Farah Kartini dijangka dituntut selepas DNA ibu diambil - Abang](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721206884_NurFarahKartini.jpg)
Jenazah Nur Farah Kartini dijangka dituntut selepas DNA ibu diambil - Abang
Urusan tuntutan jenazah mangsa bunuh Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah dijangka hanya dapat dilakukan selepas pengambilan sampel DNA ibunya di Hospital Kuala Kubu Bharu hari ini.