N. Korea may conduct another missile test

Samantha Power, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, visits the truce village of Panmunjeom on the inter-Korean border, Sunday. / Joint press corps

By Jun Ji-hye

North Korea may test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) soon, as the country is apparently preparing to launch a satellite.

Pyongyang claims that the launch is a peaceful space program, but the international community views it as a cover to test technologies used in the development of an ICBM.

The latest commercial satellite images show increased activity at the repressive state’s satellite launch site, backing up the speculation.

The indications come as the North celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party, Monday. The country likes to time its provocations for national holidays, as evidenced by its fifth nuclear test on its foundation day, Sept. 9.

The ICBM, believed to have a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, is capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland in theory.

The North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday that the Kim Jong-un regime will “promote exchange and cooperation with international space organizations and space institutions of other countries.”

“We will also continue to have the door wide open with greater enthusiasm towards conquering the world of outer space, as a proud member of 10 major space faring nations, while ensuring transparency in conformity with the relevant international norms and practices,” the KCNA said.

Though the North has claimed that its launch of a long-range rocket is to place an “Earth observation satellite” into orbit, the launch is seen by outside experts as a part of its program to develop ICBMs, given that the technologies for launching both a satellite and a long-range missile are almost identical.

Also on Saturday, 38 North, a U.S. website monitoring North Korea, noted increased activity at the Sohae Satellite Launch Station, including crates on the launch pad next to the gantry and vehicles near the fuel and oxidizer buildings.

The imagery followed its Thursday report showing an increase in activity at its nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, North Hamgyong Province, in what could be part of preparations for a new test.

The possibility of the North’s launch of a long-range rocket has been further raised following its purported successful ground test of a new rocket engine, Sept. 20.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said at the time that the ground test was apparently to test the efficiency of a new high-powered rocket engine that can be used for an ICBM.

On Feb. 7, Pyongyang launched what it claimed was an Earth observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-4, after it conducted its fourth nuclear test the previous month.

The repressive state carried out its fifth and most powerful nuclear test, Sept. 9, claiming it detonated a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can be mounted on a ballistic missile.

Amid escalating tensions, the South Korean military has been on high alert since Friday over the growing possibility that Pyongyang may conduct multiple provocations on the anniversary, including an additional nuclear test and ballistic missile launch.

South Korea and the United States have mobilized their reconnaissance assets, reportedly including the Joint STARS, or E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, deployed at a U.S. military base in Okinawa.

Meanwhile, the KCNA claimed that the North possessed a nuclear deterrent in order to cope with “the nuclear threats coming from the U.S., and to safeguard the supreme interests of the country, the security of the nation and peace.”