S. Korea warns rocket launch would threaten regional security

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea warned Thursday a rocket launch by North
Korea would be a provocation challenging regional security as the communist state
was apparently taking final preparatory steps for what neighbors suspect is a
missile test.
The launch, announced by Pyongyang as scheduled between April 4-8, "will be a
serious challenge and provocation to the security on the Korean Peninsula and the
Northeast Asian regional stability," Won Tae-jae, spokesman at the Ministry of
National Defense, said.
His comments follow intelligence assessments that North Korea has loaded its
rocket onto a launch pad on its east coast. Pyongyang says it is preparing to
launch a communications satellite, but neighbors say it could be a pretext for
testing a Taepodong-2 missile that can theoretically hit Alaska.
Won declined to confirm the intelligence, but said North Korea is "clearly moving
forward with its preparations."
"We call on the North to halt" because they (such preparations) violate a U.N.
resolution urging the country not to test any ballistic missile technology, Won
said.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)