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SEOUL PLANS FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCH
South Korea plans to make its first satellite launch today in a step that could test North Korea's commitment to recent rapprochement moves and rekindle fears of an Asian arms race.
Although North Korea's self-claimed satellite launch in April appeared to have failed, the growing technological prowess demonstrated by firing a long-range rocket unnerved politicians in Seoul. Seoul has also been eager to demonstrate its capabilities as China, India and particularly Japan have moved into space missions.
Japan has set next month for the debut launch of a new unmanned resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station.
South Korea's government has been unabashed in wanting its space programme expanded with an eye to putting astronauts into space. Russian rockets have in the past carried South Korean satellites and, last year, the first Korean astronaut. Russia has also provided critical assistance for South Korea's rocket programme.
North Korea insists its rocket launch in April marked the successful launch of a satellite that is now beaming patriotic anthems from space. The US, South Korea and Japan contest this and say Pyongyang was simply upgrading its ballistic weapons. Stung by UN Security Council sanctions over the launch, Pyongyang has said it expects the UN to show impartiality by condemning South Korea's rocket launch.
“North Korea's reaction will be a barometer of how committed it is to the recent positive trend,” said Andrew Gilholm, senior analyst at Control Risks, the security consultancy, referring to a recent thawing of ties between Seoul and Pyongyang.
Pyongyang has freed US and South Korean detainees and has pledged to co-operate on investment and tourism projects.
After North Korea's launch, politicians in the south complained South Korea was being held back by its adherence to the Missile Technology Control Regime, an informal agreement with the US that restricted southern scientists to working on ballistic missiles with a range of less than 300km. North Korea's rocket flew about 3,000km.
