Posted on 09/03/2006 9:22:03 PM PDT by nickcarraway
South Korean intelligence has detected suspicious vehicle movements around a major North Korean missile launch site, a source in Seoul said Sunday (Sept 3).
The military official said several large vehicles were spotted recently moving around in the eastern coastal missile base of Gitdaeryeong where the North fired six short- and medium-range missiles in July.
On July 5, Pyongyang fired the Scud and Rodong missiles above the East Sea along with a long-range Taepodong-2 missile which experts believe could reach the US mainland.
"We are not ruling out the possibility that the North could fire more Rodong and Scud missiles," the source said on condition of anonymity.
The source declined to confirm whether the vehicles were loading parts to be used for setting up launch pads.
"The vehicles are not new. They have remained at the launch site since the North prepared for the missile firings in July," the source added.
Another source said the South Korean and US militaries anticipate that North Korea could launch the missiles in the middle of this month when President Roh Moo-hyun and his US counterpart George W. Bush are scheduled to hold summit talks in Washington.
During the summit, the two presidents are to discuss a range of issues including Korea's recovering wartime operational control of its troops from the United States.
North Korea is believed to have 600 short-range Scud-type missiles and 2,000 Rodong missiles.
In the wake of the July launches, the international community passed a UN Security Council resolution condemning the North's militant activities as threats to regional peace and stability.
Pyongyang immediately rejected the resolution, calling it a "pressurising" measure. Since then, signs of nuclear tests by the isolated regime have been detected, increasing the possibility of another round of militant provocations.
Considering the various scenarios of possible North Korean brinkmanship, South Korean intelligence authorities are watching over several missile launch bases and other places suspected to have nuclear facilities, the source added.
Meanwhile, the United States successfully carried out a missile interception test on Saturday (Sept 2) while establishing its missile defense system. In preparation for a possible North Korean missile firing in the future, a missile similar to one in the North Korean arsenal in size and speed was used as a target.
Last week the United States also deployed an Aegis-equipped cruiser USS Shiloh in Yokosuka naval base in Japan to facilitate a ballistic missile defense system. The USS Shiloh is equipped with an SM-3 missile system, a crucial element needed to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles.
"US boomer sighted off NK coast. Kim Jung Il has a movement."
"US boomer sighted off NK coast. Kim Jung Il has a movement."
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Nah! I'll fix it for you.
"US boomer sighted off NK coast. Kim Jong-Il looks for his Taepo-dong's but can only find No-dong."
See? Now it's fixed.
Mini-Me's rockets are like him in bed. Noisy, irritating, and very tiny.
While the Democrats in Washington oppose any actions to defend this nation, either through surveillance or defense.
Can't we just shoot down Kim's next launch? I think we should conduct 'joint tests' on every North Korean launch.
Maybe the little retard wants to send off fireworks on the 5th anniversary of 9/11.
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