September 15, 2015

 

 

QUESTION: Thanks, John. On North Korea, North Korea has announced today that it has reactivated Yongbyon nuclear facilities. As you know already, we – previously that the North Korea has destroyed their nuclear facility long ago. Why can it pick and running now this?

MR KIRBY: We’re aware of the state media reports regarding a readjustment in operation of the – those nuclear facilities, including the five-megawatt plutonium production reactor and the uranium enrichment facility there at Yongbyon. I don’t have any additional comments on intelligence matters. You know I won’t do that from the podium. And we continue to call on North Korea to refrain from irresponsible provocations that aggravate regional tensions, and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/09/246914.htm

 

 

(LEAD) U.S. warns N. Korea not to make 'mistake' amid concerns about nuclear or missile test

2015/09/16 05:21

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, UPDATES with comments from White House, Pentagon)

By Chang Jae-soon

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- The United States warned North Korea on Tuesday not to make a "mistake" deepening its isolation after the communist nation has strongly hinted at the possibility of conducting a nuclear or missile test.

"It would be a mistake for North Korea to once again embark on the kind of threatening behavior and provocations that led to international sanctions in the first place," Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel told reporters after a speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

"For North Korea to conduct a missile or a nuclear test would represent a setback in its hopes to grow its economy and to end its isolation. It would deal a setback to the world's hopes for successful negotiations," the official said.

North Korea has ratcheted up tensions this week with apparent threats to conduct missile or nuclear tests.

On Monday, the North strongly hinted at the possibility of conducting a long-range rocket launch. Pyongyang also said Tuesday that the uranium enrichment plant and the plutonium-producing reactor at its Yongbyon nuclear complex has started normal operation.

It also said it's ready to cope with the U.S. hostile policy toward it "with nuclear weapons any time."

   White House press secretary Josh Earnest urged the North to refrain from "irresponsible provocation."

   "We will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state, and that's why we urge North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that threaten regional peace and security and focus instead on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments," he said.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation.

"We are in close contact with the Republic of Korea and our allies there remain committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea," he said. "we call on Pyongyang to refrain from actions and rhetoric that threaten regional peace and stability and security in the area."

   Russel urged Pyongyang to stick to its responsibilities under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"North Korea's committed to denuclearization. North Korea is prohibited from conducting any ballistic missile activities," he said. "Now North Korea has been down on this road before and what does it get? It cannot get, will not get the security or the benefits of the dynamism of Northeast Asia by violating international law."

   Russel also said Pyongyang can get what it wants, such as economic growth, security and respect, if it makes the right decisions and the right path.

"President (Barack) Obama, President Park (Geun-hye) have extended hands to North Korea. North Korea should unclench its fist and we hope that North Korea would not follow through on provocative actions that would serve as a setback to regional security," he said.

The way out for North Korea is "bona-fide negotiations to engineer meaningful and irreversible steps toward denuclearization," he said.

"Our position and our efforts have been aimed at trying to engineer resumption of negotiations on the nuclear issue for the purpose of fulfilling the commitment that all six nations made in 2005, which is to completely and verifiably denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," Russel said.

"That is the only path that is available to North Korea to deal with its economic problems and to achieve realistic security. The net effect of North Korea's decisions and pursuit of nuclear weapons or missile capability is frankly only to deter prosperity," he said.

The official said that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was a focus of Park's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month, and the goal will also be a focus of Obama's talks with Xi, set for next week, and the talks with Park, set for next month.

jschang@yna.co.kr

(END)

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2015/09/16/26/0301000000AEN20150916000251315F.html

 

 

North Korea’s Sohae Facility: No Sign of Launch Preparations Yet

By 38 North
15 September 2015

A 38 North exclusive with analysis by Jack Liu and Joseph S. Bermudez

Despite continuing press speculation fed by North Korea’s public pronouncements, recent commercial satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station (“Tongchang-ri”) indicates no sign yet of preparations for a launch on the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) on October 10.

In a September 14 interview with the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the Director of the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) asserted the DPRK’s right to peaceful space exploration, that “the world will clearly see a series of satellites soaring into the sky at the times and locations determined by the WPK Central Committee” and that scientists are working hard to celebrate the 70th anniversary “with greater scientific achievements.” These statements have been widely interpreted in the Western media to mean that the DPRK intends to launch a space launch vehicle (SLV) on October 10.

Imagery from September 6 shows little or no activity at the recently modernized Sohae facility, including the gantry tower and pad that was the site of the 2012 Unha SLV launches. The work platforms at the gantry tower are clearly enclosed by an environmental shroud. Determining whether that shroud is hiding an SLV is difficult, but seems unlikely.

Figure 1. Sohae Launch Pad on September 6, 2015.

Image includes material Pleiades © CNES 2015. Distribution Airbus DS / Spot Image, all rights reserved. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.

 

Since the site was observed with only five weeks left before the October 10 anniversary, there remains little but possibly sufficient time for the North to prepare for a launch if Pyongyang follows past practices and procedures. An important caveat is that the SLV stages will have had to already undergone a “checkout” process that previously took place at the Sohae large horizontal assembly building and was observable by commercial satellite. However, observation has become more difficult given recent construction of a new processing facility at the east end of the launch pad and concealment measures such as the underground rail spur leading to the pad and the Movable Transfer Structure that would move the SLV components to the gantry tower. If the “checkout process” has not started, then a launch in mid-October is unlikely.

If a launch is in the works and past practice is any guide, we would soon expect to see increased activity throughout the Sohae launch site. Such activity would include the filling of the propellant buildings near the launch pad as well as new activity at the instrumentation site, VIP housing and new launch control center.

http://38north.org/2015/09/sohae091515/

 

 

http://www.isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/Update_on_North_Koreas_Yongbyon_Nuclear_Site_September15_2015_Final.pdf