(News Focus) N. Korean rocket generates more questions than progress

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- The latest rocket flaunted by North Korea represents a
certain measure of technical progress from an earlier version that also
purportedly lobbed a satellite in orbit, experts here said Wednesday, but it also
raised further questions about its purpose.
North Korea this week released footage of its "Unha-2" rocket blasting off from a
launch pad on its east coast, claiming it successfully carried a communications
satellite into space.
South Korea and the U.S. -- which consider the launch a test of a ballistic
missile capable of hitting Alaska -- disputed the claim, saying the rocket
ultimately plummeted into the ocean along with the payload.
Despite the apparent failure, the footage of the blast-off provides a rare
resource by which to gauge North Korea's rocket technology, South Korean
scientists said, agreeing that the April 5 launch shows Pyongyang has been
advancing its research.
"The lift-off looks solid, clearly better than before," said Lee Chang-jin, a
rocket scientist at Seoul's Konkuk University. "It also turns and moves smoothly
toward its intended destination."
North Korea fired in 1998 what it claimed was its first rocket carrying a
satellite into space. Washington detected nothing new in orbit, but Pyongyang
still claims it is receiving signals from its "Kwangmyongsong-1" satellite.
Seol Woo-suk, an engine specialist at the state-run Korea Aerospace Research
Institute, agreed with Lee that the lift-off of the latest rocket appeared
steady, adding he believes four engines were used.
"They seemed to be bound into one, working properly as the rocket soared," he
said, analyzing the footage, which also showed a control room with several
displays under high ceilings.
"The North Koreans apparently tried to set up a room with devices similar to ones
that developed countries have," he said. "But overall, it looks rudimentary."
No display panel to track the rocket was apparent, he said, while other equipment
appeared to possess only a "limited" capacity.
"It's almost leisurely inside," said Park Jung-joo, who heads South Korea's
rocket development at the same institute, describing the atmosphere in the
control room.
The footage initially shows what appears to be a three-stage rocket mounted next
to a gantry and a crane, which indicates that the assembly of each was conducted
at the launch pad.
South Korea and the United States say the first stage landed in the East Sea
while the remaining two crashed in the Pacific Ocean. They have yet to clarify
whether the last two stages successfully separated before crashing.
"We cannot rule out the possibility that this was, after all, a two-stage
rocket," Park said.
Iran, an alleged collaborator with North Korea in missile development, succeeded
in orbiting a satellite by using a two-stage rocket on Feb. 2, just weeks before
Pyongyang announced its own launch plan.
The rocket in 1998, better known as the Taepodong-1 missile, had three stages,
but the combustion of the final stage fizzled shortly after breaking off, U.S.
and South Korean officials believe.
The rocket launched on Sunday, considered a Taeopodong-2 missile by outside
observers, flew 2,700-3,200 kilometers according to media estimates, while its
previous version flew at least 1,500 kilometers.
Park said the signals Pyongyang cited this week to claim the presence of its
"Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite" in orbit were fabricated quite well to make the
launch sound successful, but they also attest to a lack of effort.
"These are low-frequency signals, similar to ones heard in 1998," he said. "It
indicates North Korea has not been too passionate about its satellite technology
over the past two decades."
Developed countries generally use high-frequency signals.
Park even questioned North Korea's claim that the latest rocket carried a satellite.
"The top of the rocket looks too slim and linear to contain one," he said. "I
wouldn't be surprised if the rocket in the footage turned out to be a ballistic
missile. It's almost identical, the way it looks, blasts and flies."
samkim@yna.co.kr
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