38노스 "北서해위성발사장 주요시설 해체 작업에 진척 보여"
North Korea seems to be taking further steps in dismantling its missile test site.
Won Jung-hwan updates us on the regime's follow-through on its leader's promise made verbally with President Trump during the historic summit in Singapore.
North Korea continues to take down faciltiies at a missile engine testing site.
Citing satellite imagery from last Friday,.... a U.S. website monitoring the regime, 38 North, says more work is being done to dismantle facilities at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station.
The pictures show that Pyongyang is ripping down the steel base structure of the vertical engine test stand, and also removing walls at the transfer structure on the launch pad used to support rocket launches.
An analyst said those facilities are key to the testing and development of engines for ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles.
However, the report also said that while work at the launch pad, for now, does seem to be related to its dismantlement,… the possibility cannot be ruled out that its the start of some modification of the structures or other purposes.
The report went on to say that the apparent dismantling should be viewed only as "first steps" since it's neither permanent nor irreversible.
"I think it is very good attempt from North Korea to show to the United States that it has very strong willingness to give up its nuclear weapons and missiles, but in fact this is something related to the future test site and launch site destruction, which is not something directly targeting the destruction of ICBMs North Korea already has. So that's why, maybe,... the U.S. is not accepting this as an important, serious signal,... to dismantle the ICBM that it already possess, which is the main target of the United States towards North Korea."
Indeed, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo struck a cautious tone when the dismantling was first reported two weeks ago.
"Reporting about the missile engine test site, would be entirely inconsistent with the commitment that Chairman Kim made to President Trump when the two of them were in Singapore together, he made that commitment to them orally. We've been, we've been pressing for there to be inspectors on the ground when that engine test facility is dismantled, consistent with Chairman Kim's commitment,"
Won Jung-hwan Arirang News.
