By Kim Young-jin
Seoul officials urged North Korea against a fresh long-range rocket launch, Monday, following evidence that Pyongyang had made preparations for the move.
The government is working with its allies and the international community to prepare a coordinated response if needed, they said.
According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, U.S. satellite imagery taken early this month showed apparent missile parts being moved from a factory near Pyongyang to the Tongchang-ri base, the site of previous launches.
Concern has risen that the Kim Jong-un regime could carry out destabilizing acts at a time of political changes in the region to ratchet up the need for dialogue with the isolated, nuclear-armed country.
An official here said the satellite images could not be commented on as it was an "intelligence matter" but that Seoul was carefully watching the situation.
"North Korea should not carry out such an act," an official said on condition of anonymity. "They are not allowed to do so by the international community. Going through with a launch would only worsen the North's isolation."
The official added that consultations were underway with Washington, Tokyo and other countries.
In April, the North was condemned for its failed attempt to put a satellite into orbit with a long-range rocket as the act was widely regarded as cover for a ballistic missile test. But it says it will continue its efforts to put a "working satellite" into orbit.
Park Young-ho, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the North's move mimicked those it made in 2009 shortly after U.S. President Barack Obama took office. When Washington responded negatively, Pyongyang carried out a missile and nuclear test.
"It's a typical tactic of the North," Park said. "It wants to heighten its leverage vis-à-vis Washington, trying to resume dialogue."
Analysts also said the North could be sending a message to the next South Korean president following the Dec. 19 polls, to take an appeasement approach; and to the new leadership in China to meet its needs for assistance.
The North could also use Seoul's launching of its space rocket, the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1, on Nov. 29 as justification for its own launch. It is the South's third attempt in four years to put a satellite into orbit.
Last Thursday, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that its U.N. delegate said Pyongyang will continue to launch satellites for the economic development of the Stalinist country.
The impoverished states' push to advance in science and technology is directly linked to a promise by its young leader, Kim Jong-un, to "improve the livelihood of the people."
Meanwhile, the Japanese paper reported that Pyongyang attempted to ship materials that could be used for uranium enrichment or missile development to Myanmar in August, in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution.
It said Tokyo raided a cargo vessel docked at Tokyo Port ― per a request from Washington ― and found metal pipes and aluminum alloy bars, some of which could be used to make missiles. The materials were inscribed with the acronym DPRK, which stands for the North's official name.
If confirmed, the shipment could deal a blow to efforts to squelch the North's export of weapons and related materials. The Seoul official said the government was looking in to the matter.
The materials originated in China, the report said.
The North is banned from export of weapons under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests.
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