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Tokyo / Pyongyang. First real step of disarmament or just a clever bluff of leadership? Sunday's satellite images must prove that Pyongyang has begun to dismantle the rocket test facility "Sohae" on the northwest coast. According to information provided by the North American nuclear program, a building and a test bench were demolished at the base. North38 is an expert team based at the Washington Stimson Center.
After 38North, a rail-mounted preparation room was demolished where rockets had been mounted before launch. In addition, a nearby missile test facility is no longer visible in the photos. South Korea's presidential palace confirmed that the Seoul secret service had also recorded such activities, but did not mention details.
Seoul experts believe that "Sohae" is a key player in North Korea's weapons program. From there, several intercontinental rockets have been fired in recent years. South Korean news agency Yonhap quotes Nam Gwan Pyo, vice president of the National Security Bureau, saying "despite skepticism about Pyongyang", it is still better than S & P They had not done anything. We see this as a step towards denuclearization. "
" All of Asia is happy "
If the information is correct, it would be the first confidence movement of dictator Kim Jong-un after his meeting with Donald Trump Mid-June in Singapore According to the United States, the two leaders in Singapore had discussed the agreement "complete denuclearization" against "guarantees of security" without giving details.
Trump had even declared after the meeting with Kim that he had promised him "very soon" to destroy important facilities to test rocket propulsion.On Monday, the White House leader said that North Korea had not shot down a rocket for nine months and had not conducted nuclear tests.On Twitter, the US President wrote: "Japan is happy, all of Asia is happy."
This n & # 39; It's not like that, and the experts have considerable doubts, according to Lee Choon Geun, a specialist ste rockets at the Institute of Science and Technology of South Korea, it is a pawn sacrifice. North Korea would not give much if it dismantled a test area of the plant. The development of long-range weapons appears to have been exhausted and there would be no more material resources available for the regime. A real effect would only occur with the complete disbadembly of the entire system. This would put a large launch pad out of service.
International Response Test
Other disarmament experts believe that North Korea simply does not need the Sohae test site because It is satisfied with intercontinental and medium rocket engines already developed. However, professionals like Lee are wondering why Pyongyang has not even trumpeted this activity in the world to prove his willingness to relax. Lee suspects that "they have not made it a big event, because they are waiting for international reactions first and want to keep in their hands the pace at which any disarmament must be carried out."
North38 also expresses doubts. Director Jenny Town told Japan Times newspaper: "We would not have planned such activities." But she also stressed that these measures could be reversed "absolutely" and "clearly do not limit the basic capacity of North Korea". Kim himself announced that his country was moving from test phase to mbad production
Town think the positive effect is mainly due to the consequences on the negotiation process between the United States and Korea North, which has beaten the opposition in recent weeks The wall had been driven. "There is no fundamental change in political relations, but it brings at least a momentum of movement in the talks."
("Die Presse", print edition, 25.07.2018)
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