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Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force transport ship Kunisaki, carrying ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors, leave the MSDF base in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan. The Kunisaki and another MSDF transport ship, the Osumi, carry the missile interceptors to be deployed in Okinawa to prepare for North Korea’s planned rocket launch. (AP-Yonhap News) |
South Korea and the U.S. are strengthening their joint surveillance operations as North Korea prepares to launch a long-range rocket between Dec. 10 and 22, defense sources said.
The allies are putting their reconnaissance aircraft on standby, while further sharing intelligence via U.S. satellites over North Korea, where signs have been detected of the rocket being transported to a launch pad in Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, bordering China.
“The two allies are closely collaborating to monitor North Korea’s rocket activity,” said a defense official.
The U.S. has reportedly prepared its RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft to be deployed at its air force base in Okinawa, Japan. RC-135 played a key role in April when North Korea test-fired its rocket in defiance of the United Nations and the U.S.
South Korea is maintaining its Watch Condition, or Watchcon, at level three out of five.
Watchcon 3 is enforced when there are signs of threat to South Korea’s national security, putting its intelligence officers to work around the clock to gather as much information as possible.
The next-heighest level of Watchcon 2 will have the allied forces deploy their stealth and reconnaissance aircrafts with low radar cross-section for over-flights of North Korea when there are noticeable signs of threats to South Korea’s national interest, defense experts said. South Korea has not issued Watchcon 1 since the end of the Korean War.
North Korea has announced that it will test fire its rocket between Dec. 10 and 22, which analysts said is in part aimed at tipping the South Korean Dec. 19 presidential election in its favor.
The North’s action is also said to influence Japan’s Dec. 16 parliamentary election, as well as show its military might to the reelected Obama administration in the U.S.
Various diplomatic and defense analysts suggested that North Korea may fire its long-range rocket around Dec. 17 to mark the first anniversary of Kim Jong-un in power and control over the communist state.
In April, the North fired its rocket to mark the centenary birth of its founder and leader Kim Il-sung, but it failed.
Since last month North Korea has been detected transporting its rocket to Dongchang-ri, and government sources said it has put in place its first-stage rocket on the launch pad.
By Park Hyong-ki (
hkp@heraldcorp.com)
