ID :
76025
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 12:22
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/76025
The shortlink copeid
U.S. sees S. Korea's rocket program as transparent: State Dept.
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- The United States Tuesday dismissed complaints by North Korea about South Korea's imminent rocket launch, saying South Korea's space program is transparent and responsible.
When North Korea launched a rocket in April, purportedly to orbit a satellite,
the U.S. led the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on Pyongyang, saying
the launch was a guise to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching the
U.S.
On the news that South Korea is to launch the rocket Wednesday to orbit a
communications satellite, North Korea said it will closely watch the
international community's response. The launch will be the first of its kind from
South Korean soil, although the nation has sent 11 satellites up from overseas
sites.
"The South Koreans have developed their program in a very open and transparent
way, and in keeping with the international agreements that they have signed on
to," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. "This is in stark contrast to the
example set by North Korea, which has not abided by its international
agreements."
South Korea is set to launch the rocket from a southern remote island Wednesday
afternoon, weather permitting, in an effort to emerge as a space power with the
help of Russia, which built the booster.
South Korea's rocket capability had been limited to 180 kilometers by an
agreement with the U.S. until 2001 as Washington feared longer ranges might
provoke North Korea into an arms race.
Faced with simmering complaints from South Koreans, the U.S. allowed South Korea
in 2001 to develop missiles capable of flying up to 300 kilometers under the
Missile Technology Control Regime, and allowed development of longer-range
rockets for commercial purposes.
North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile launches in recent months alarmed
many South Koreans and underscored a possible need to develop longer-range
missile capability to counter any missile threats from the North.
Kelly said the South Koreans have "developed their space launch program in a
responsible manner."
"They're a signatory to a number of international agreements regarding
nonproliferation," he said. "The North Koreans are under a number of U.N.
Security Council sanctions relating to their ballistic missile program, and the
U.N. Security Council called on them to suspend all activities relating to the
missile program."
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- The United States Tuesday dismissed complaints by North Korea about South Korea's imminent rocket launch, saying South Korea's space program is transparent and responsible.
When North Korea launched a rocket in April, purportedly to orbit a satellite,
the U.S. led the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on Pyongyang, saying
the launch was a guise to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching the
U.S.
On the news that South Korea is to launch the rocket Wednesday to orbit a
communications satellite, North Korea said it will closely watch the
international community's response. The launch will be the first of its kind from
South Korean soil, although the nation has sent 11 satellites up from overseas
sites.
"The South Koreans have developed their program in a very open and transparent
way, and in keeping with the international agreements that they have signed on
to," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. "This is in stark contrast to the
example set by North Korea, which has not abided by its international
agreements."
South Korea is set to launch the rocket from a southern remote island Wednesday
afternoon, weather permitting, in an effort to emerge as a space power with the
help of Russia, which built the booster.
South Korea's rocket capability had been limited to 180 kilometers by an
agreement with the U.S. until 2001 as Washington feared longer ranges might
provoke North Korea into an arms race.
Faced with simmering complaints from South Koreans, the U.S. allowed South Korea
in 2001 to develop missiles capable of flying up to 300 kilometers under the
Missile Technology Control Regime, and allowed development of longer-range
rockets for commercial purposes.
North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile launches in recent months alarmed
many South Koreans and underscored a possible need to develop longer-range
missile capability to counter any missile threats from the North.
Kelly said the South Koreans have "developed their space launch program in a
responsible manner."
"They're a signatory to a number of international agreements regarding
nonproliferation," he said. "The North Koreans are under a number of U.N.
Security Council sanctions relating to their ballistic missile program, and the
U.N. Security Council called on them to suspend all activities relating to the
missile program."
