North Korea Taking Rocket Apart, but Launch Still On

Technical problem needs to be fixed
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 11, 2012 11:25 AM CST
North Korea Taking Rocket Apart, but Launch Still On
This Dec. 4, 2012 satellite image taken by GeoEye and annotated and distributed by North Korea Tech and 38 North shows snow covering the Sohae launching station in Tongchang-ri, North Korea.   (AP Photo/GeoEye via North Korea Tech and 38 North)

North Korea is taking apart its long-range rocket to fix a technical problem, but it still plans on moving forward with the controversial launch, according to South Korean news reports and experts. Its initial moves to deconstruct the rocket fueled speculation that the launch was to be abandoned, but it turns out North Korean rockets simply have to be dismantled in order to be repaired, Reuters reports. North Korea yesterday delayed the launch window by a week. An attempted April launch failed, and this second attempt is meant to coincide with the anniversary of Kim Jong Il's death. (More North Korea stories.)

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