N. Korea periodically covering and uncovering rocket: U.S. think tank

SEOUL, April 4 (Yonhap) -- The latest satellite image of North Korea's launch pad on the east coast indicates the communist state may have reshrouded its long-range rocket for what it claims is a satellite, a U.S. think tank said Saturday.

In the photo dated April 2 taken by commercial satellite operator Digital Globe,
the apparent three-stage rocket casts a shadow not clearly distinguishable from
one cast by a nearby gantry, the Institute for Science and International Security
(ISIS) said.
A separate image taken four days earlier shows the shadows clearly separated by a
swath of light, the think-tank said. South Korea, Japan and the United States
worry North Korea may actually be preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile
capable of hitting Alaska between Saturday and Wednesday.
"It is possible that North Korea had been shrouding the sides of the missile,
removed the shroud for the morning of the 29th, and has since resumed the
shrouding," the ISIS said in a statement.
The Washington-based institute noted the shadows may have appeared due to the
different angles from which the imagery has been obtained.
North Korea is believed to have set up its rocket at the Musudan-ri site last
week, and its top appeared covered then, according to South Korean and U.S.
officials.
It was unshrouded last weekend, they said. Media recently reported from
Washington, quoting a government source, that it appeared to be tipped with an
object similar in appearance to a satellite.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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