S. Korea sees no sign of imminent rocket launch by N. Korea

The Seoul officials speculated that the North is trying to secure more time to ensure a successful launch following a launch failure last time. “We will definitely, surely go ahead”. North Korea sanctions also were recently implemented in Britain. If North Korea is planning a launch for the seventieth anniversary of the foundation of its Workers’ Party on October. 10, as a few have predicted, then it would need to begin preparations shortly.

Shin In-kyun, a military analyst, said a rocket launch by Pyongyang before the anniversary seems unlikely.

It usually takes seven to ten days to place a rocket into a launch pad and inject fuel.

United Nations resolutions prohibit North Korean use of ballistic missile technology, and a rocket launch would trigger a spike in military tensions that is likely to count the family reunion among its first victims. But in order to break this vicious circle, the Park Geun-hye government has pledged not to tolerate such behaviours, instead strongly demanding that Pyongyang apologise and refrain from provocations.

“Because of the reckless anti-[North Korea] confrontational racket of the South, the rare reunions of separated families are at stake like being on a thin ice”, an unidentified spokesman for the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement on Tuesday, Yonhap reported.

Nam Gwang-gyu, a professor at Korea University, said Pyongyang can not ignore a warning from its main economic and political patron. “If a North Korean provocation results in worldwide sanctions being imposed on the country, North Korea could respond by refusing to hold the reunions”, said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University.

Shin Sang-jin, a professor at Kwangwoon University who specializes in relations between China and North Korea, warned that Beijing’s pressure tactics against Pyongyang could backfire. “It won’t really benefit North Korean citizens”.

This week, the United States repeated its call for North Korea to denuclearize.

According to the notice, the same sanctions will be applied to all activities of the North Korean government that are related to the development or production of missile equipment or affect the development or production of electronics, space systems or equipment, and military aircraft.

In December 2012, North Korea successfully fired into orbit a long-range rocket carrying a satellite in what appeared to be a major leap forward in its ballistic missile program.