North Korea 'prepares to launch ten missiles'
Thursday, 09 Oct 2008 08:35
North Korea is apparently preparing to launch ten short-range missiles
In Focus
The international community is continuing its efforts to talk North Korea down from its nuclear perch. Full Story
North Korea is preparing to launch ten short-range missiles, South Korean media has reported.
According to reports, North Korea is alleged to have already fired two missiles into the Yellow Sea two days ago.
The Chosun Ilbo newspaper claims that the north has deployed more than ten missiles on its west coast for what appears to be an imminent launch.
Ships have been forbidden from sailing in an area of the sea until October 15th in preparation for the missile launch, an intelligence source is quoted by the paper as saying.
"Agents say some dozen KN-01 surface-to-ship and Styx ship-to-ship missiles are deployed ready for firing in an area near Chodo," the newspaper declared.
"It would be an unprecedented number of missile tests if the north fires all of them."
The paper also quotes a South Korean military source as saying: "If North Korea fires missiles en masse, it can hardly be part of a routine exercise. Its intentions should be analysed in various ways."
A senior US nuclear envoy visited North Korea last week in a bid to convince the country to return to a disarmament agreement and stop plans to restart nuclear facilities.
Despite the breakdown in negotiations, the Kyodo news agency has reported today that the US has told Japan that it will remove North Korea from its terrorism sponsor list.
Tomorrow marks the anniversary of North Korea's ruling communist party coming to power and speculation continues over whether the country's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il will make an appearance, after allegedly suffering a stroke back in August.