North Korean rocket site: satellite images seem to show construction halt

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

North Korean rocket site: satellite images seem to show construction halt

Analysis suggests Pyongyang may be thinking again about development of larger rockets


Associated Press in Seoul
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 23 July 2013 02.44 EDT

An eight-month construction standstill at a North Korean site meant to launch bigger and better long-range rockets may signal Pyongyang is slowing or even stopping development of larger rockets, according to a new analysis of recent satellite imagery.

Roads lie unfinished and grass is growing from the foundation of a large new rocket assembly building, according to analysis by 38 North, the website for the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins school of advanced international studies.

It is unknown if the work stoppage on the launch pad, rocket assembly building and launch control centre at the Tonghae satellite launching ground is only temporary.

But the analysis of 26 May commercial satellite imagery provides some theories.

One is that equipment and construction troops sent from the site to help repair widespread rain damage last year may still be at other posts. Another is that North Korea's leadership has decided that its more modern Sohae rocket launching site on the north-west coast, used to launch rockets in April and December 2012, will be sufficient to support large rocket development


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/23/north-korea-satellite-rocket-construction-halt

[TrollBuster9090]

1. Construction halt indicates they MAY be thinking twice about building larger missiles, or

they MAY be thinking 'where the fuck are we going to find some more NAILS?'

[gordianot]

2. Stop, stirring, or starve. Message from China to the buffer zone.

[davidpdx]

3. The likely theory is they pulled everyone from their military jobs

to help with planting in the spring. Given the problems they are having feeding their people they face strong pressure to increase the yield of their crops. South Korea has continued to give aid, but not nearly as much in the past. North Korea relies primarily on China, who as someone pointed out is not real keen to help them given their behavior. The other possibility is that China used the carrot and the stick routine with aid and told them if they stopped work on the rocket they would give them additional fuel or food.

[Scurrilous]

4. All their parts are in Panama.