미 국무성 북한 위성발사 확인
그 동안 미 국무성이 추측만 하고 단정하지 못했던 북한의
인공위성 발사를 사실로 인정했다는 내용의 보도입니다.
이로 인해 일본의 대북한 제재 조치가 해소 내지 완화될 것으로
보이며 다른 원조에 관한 토의도 재개될 전망입니다.
미국은 현재까지 북한에 대한 추가 제재를 하지 않고
신중한 자세를 취하고 있었으며 식량원조등을 중단하지
않았습니다.
출처 : http://www.asahi.com/english/enews/enews.html#enews_16979
N. Korea missile a satellite launch, U.S. officials say
By TAKAAKI MIZUNO
Asahi Shimbun
WASHINGTON--Contradicting earlier reports, U.S. State Department
officials confirmed Friday that Pyongyang launched a satellite--
not a missile--on Aug. 31.
It was widely reported that the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea (North Korea) fired a two-stage Daepodong-1 ballistic
missile over Japan, which
prompted Tokyo to freeze a $1 billion (135 billion yen)
contribution to North Korea for light-water nuclear reactors.
North Korea said the missile was in fact a rocket that was used
for the launching of the satellite. The U.S. State Department
officials confirmed this Friday.
However, the satellite is not functioning, U.S. officials said,
contradicting Pyongyang's announcement that the satellite is
sending information to Earth.
The officials did not say what they based their conclusion on,
but the U.S. government discussed the issue Thursday with the
representatives of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National
Security Agency.
The U.S. Defense Department says the launch still poses a threat
because it proved the technological advancement of North Korea.
But the Japanese government, which criticized Pyongyang's
explanation of the launch, may now alter its stance on the
contribution, observers say.
U.S. officials plan to meet with North Korean officials in
New York on Oct. 1 to discuss North Korea's development,
deployment and exports of missile technology.
Political analysts, however, say Pyongyang is likely to argue
that the satellite launch is a matter of sovereignty.