N. Korea says it restarted nuclear reactor

Red Cross officials from South and North Korea exchange lists of candidates for family reunions at the truce village of Panmunjeom, Tuesday. The officials will check whether the people on the lists are still alive and available for reunions scheduled to run from Oct. 20 to 26 at Mount Geumgang in the North. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Unification

Pyongyang ready to launch rocket

By Yi Whan-woo

An Unha-3 long-range rocket is fired from North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Dongchang-ri, North Pyeongan Province, in December 2012. On Monday, Pyongyang hinted at test-firing a long-range rocket on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of its Workers’ Party on Oct. 10. / Yonhap

North Korea said Tuesday that it has restarted operations at its nuclear facility in Yongbyon, the main site for its nuclear program.

“We have begun to run our nuclear facility, including an enrichment plant and five-megawatt reactors at Yongbyon after performing maintenance,” the chief of the North Korean Atomic Energy Institute said in an interview with state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KNCA). His name was not revealed.

Arguing that North Korea has been developing nuclear warheads for use against “the United States’ hostile policies,” the official claimed his agency has been “improving the quantity and quality of nuclear weapons to an innovative level every day.”

The official also raised the possibility that the military regime may carry out its fourth nuclear test, saying “We’re ready to cope with hostility with our nuclear weapons.”

North Korea carried out three nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

His comments came one day after North Korea hinted at test-firing a ballistic missile on the occasion of 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.

On Monday, Pyongyang’s National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) said, “We are pushing forward on the final phase of the development of a new earth observation satellite for weather forecasting.”

“The world will clearly see a series of satellites soaring into the sky at times and locations determined by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party,” NADA said in a KCNA report.

Pyongyang has insisted its satellite launches using long-range rockets are for non-military purposes. But the United States and its allies, including South Korea, have suspected such launches have been disguised ballistic missile tests.

Between 2006 and 2013, the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) adopted five resolutions ― 1695, 1718, 1874, 2087, 2094 ― that prohibited North Korea from building and testing ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction.

Concerned about Pyongyang’s possible launch of a long range-rocket and that it will stop the inter-Korean family reunions planned for next month, Seoul said Pyongyang’s move would be a “grave provocation” and would “blatantly” violate the UNSC’s resolutions.

“Such a launch won’t help North Korea at all although it’s inappropriate to prejudge what might happen,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Min Kyung-wook said during a media briefing.

“The government will take measures promptly and effectively in line with the UNSC resolutions if Pyongyang fires a long-range rocket,” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Ministry of Unification said that “Firing a ballistic missile will be an act of grave provocation and a military threat.”

“It will be against the U.N. resolutions for North Korea to engage in any act in relation to ballistic missiles,” a senior ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

In a separate media briefing, defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said South Korea and the U.S. are closely working together “to brace for every possibility” in relation to North Korea’s possible launch.

“There have been no suspicious movements by the North so far,” Kim said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State said Monday (local time) that “Any satellite launch using ballistic missiles would be a clear violation of those (UNSC) resolutions.”

Concern over family reunions

Speculation has been rampant that North Korea may call off the scheduled reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War if the U.N. takes steps to impose further sanctions and Seoul supports them.

It also remains to be seen whether Pyongyang will breach the inter-Korean agreement on Aug. 25, which was aimed at defusing military tension and speeding up efforts for dialogue.

The two Koreas agreed on Sept. 8 to hold the reunions for the 200 elderly people in line with the Aug. 25 deal.

One hundred people from each side will meet their relatives at the Mount Geumgang resort in North Korea from Oct. 20 to 26. This will be the first inter-Korean family reunion since February 2014.

Red Cross officials exchanged the list of 450 applicants, 250 from Seoul and 200 from Pyongyang, Tuesday, to find out whether respective family members on either side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) are still alive.

“We’re doing our best to arrange the reunions and I can’t prejudge and comment on the future,” a unification ministry official said, asking not to be named.

The Ministry of Defense also refrained from commenting about whether or not it will resume propaganda broadcasts if North Korea test-fires a rocket.

The Aug. 25 agreement states Seoul will stop anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts at the DMZ “unless abnormal events occur.”

“The government will make a decision to resume broadcasts if the North makes provocations,” ministry spokesman Kim said.

An analyst was skeptical that inter-Korean family reunions will take place, saying North Korea may even carry out its fourth nuclear test to disrupt the reconciliatory mood between Seoul and Pyongyang.

“Under such circumstance, security on the Korean Peninsula will be at risk and family reunions are not likely to happen,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior research fellow at the Sejong Institute.

He proposed that the government promptly settle the tension by asking Pyongyang to hold high-level talks with National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin, Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo and their North Korean counterparts.