S Korea fears more missile advances by North this year

NorthKoreamayconduct additional missile tests this year topolishupitslong-rangemissile technology and ramp up the threat against the United States, SouthKorea’sspyagencysaidon Monday,addingthatitwasmonitoring developments closely.

North Korea is pursuing nuclearweaponsandmissileprogrammesindefianceofUNSecurity Council sanctions and has made no secret of its plans to develop a missile capable of hitting theUSmainland. Ithasfired two missiles over Japan.

Thereclusive state appearsto havecarried out arecent missile engine test while brisk movements of vehicles were spotted near known missile facilities, Yi Wan-young, a member of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee which was briefed bySeoul’sNationalIntelligence Service, said.

No sign of an imminent nucleartesthadbeendetected,Yi noted. The third tunnel at the Punggye-ri complex remained readyforanotherdetonation“at any time”, while construction hadrecentlyresumedatafourth tunnel, making it out of use for the time being.

“The agency is closely follow-

SEOUL: PYONGYANG APPEARS TO HAVE CARRIED OUT A RECENT MISSILE ENGINE TEST WHILE BRISK MOVEMENTS OF VEHICLES WERE SPOTTED NEAR KNOWN MISSILE FACILITIES

ing the developments because there is a possibility that North Korea could fire an array of ballistic missiles this yearunderthe name of a satellite launch and peaceful development of space, butinfacttoratchetupitsthreats against the United States,” the lawmakerstoldreporters after a closed-door briefing by the spy agency.

NorthKoreadefendsitsweapons programmes as a necessary defence against US plans to invade.TheUS,whichhas28,500 troopsinSouthKorea,deniesany such intention. Pyongyang is also carrying out an ideological scrutinyofthepoliticalunitofthe military for the first time in 20 years, according to Kim Byungkee, another lawmaker in the committee. REUTERS