North Korea to mark centenary of Kim Il-sung with rocket launch
Seoul (AsiaNews /
Agencies) - To celebrate 100 years since the birth of the "eternal
president" Kim Il-sung, the founding father of communist North Korea who
died in 1994, Pyongyang will launch a satellite mounted on a rocket into space.
The official state media, which reported the statements of the spokesman of the
Central Committee of Space Technology said that "the launch is scheduled for
between April12 and 16." This move by the regime is deemed a violation of
the resolution of UN Security Council, which in April 2009 - in the aftermath
of such an incident - had banned the space experiments and missile launches by North Korea.
The carrier Kwangmyongsong-3 is defined by regime scientists a "working satellite"
and considered "an opportunity to bring a higher level space technology
for peaceful purposes." The launch will be carried out by Solace Satellite
Launching Station, Cholsan County, North Pyongan province, on the west coast of
the country - state government sources report - and "will have no impact
on neighboring nations," because they have chosen a "safe route"
and the debris will not create problems.
Last month, Pyongyang
agreed to had suspend long-haul missile launches. The agreement is part of a
broader pact with Washington,
for the supply of 240 thousand tons of food aid to a starving nation the result
of the disastrous agricultural policies, drought and famine.
In an experimental launch in 2009, the Communist regime said that the satellite
reached orbit and allowed "great progress" in North Korea's
satellite technology. The move attracted the condemnation of the U.S. government, South
Korea and led to a UN resolution warning Pyongyang from further missile activities. At
the same time the international experts indicated that they had no signs
confirming the success of the experiment, leading to the conclusion that the
carrier has not reached space, but instead the launch allowed the North Korean
army to "test long range missiles".
That launch also led to discontinuation of the Six-Party Talks on nuclear
power, with the North Korean government abandoning the negotiating table. During
the strict crackdown in May of 2009, the communist regime carried out a second
nuclear test, condemned by the international community, in response, the UN has
decided for a strengthening of sanctions.
Recently, North Korea and
the U.S. government had
reached an agreement that has raised hopes of a disarmament - or
denuclearization - of the Korean peninsula and a resumption of serious talks,
which would also involve South Korea,
China, Japan and Russia.
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12/02/2016 15:14
19/10/2021 09:42
