News

Korean Peninsula A to Z

Main News

Trump Reacts Cautiously to N. Korean Reconstruction of Missile Facility

News2019-03-07

Anchor: U.S. President Donald Trump said he would be "very disappointed" if reports that North Korea is rebuilding the Sohae Satellite Launching Station are true following the collapse of the second U.S.-North Korea summit. 
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report:
 
[Sound bite: US President Donald Trump] 
(Reporter: Mr. President, is North Korea breaking the promise by rebuilding its key missile test site?)
"Well, we can see. It's too early to see... “
 
North Korea had started to dismantle a key long-range missile launch test site last year as part of its pledge to work towards denuclearization.  Satellite images, however, now suggest the North could have begun rebuilding the Sohae Satellite Launching Station.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he would be disappointed if it is true.  

[Sound bite: US President Donald Trump] 
"But I would be very, very disappointed in Chairman Kim, and I don't think I will be, but we'll see what happens. We'll take a look. It'll ultimately get solved..." 

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump addressed the recent analyses that followed the collapse of his nuclear negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.   
 
[Sound bite: US President Donald Trump] 
“We have a very nasty problem there. We have to solve a problem. The relationship is good. I would be very disappointed if that were happening. It's a very early report. We're the ones that put it out."

It is unclear if the signs of reconstruction emerged after the unsuccessful Trump-Kim talks in Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday last week.  

White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Washington is continuing to have conversations with North Korea over the matter.

[Sound bite: White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders]
"(Reporter: Sarah, is North Korea already violating its promise to freeze its nuclear capabilities?)
"Look, we're continuing to have ongoing conversations with North Korea. As the president has said, we'll see what happens. Beyond that I'm not going to comment one way or another on any potential intelligence, whether it's accurate or not, on either way."

After analyzing satellite images taken on Saturday, the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS) said North Korea is pursuing a rapid rebuilding of the facility in Dongchang-ri on the nation's northwestern coast. 

The North decided to shut down the site as it sought to build trust with South Korea and the U.S. Satellite images from August showed workers had started to disassemble the facility. 

CSIS said the latest move at the Sohae station is "deliberate and purposeful" following the Hanoi talks.   
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]

Latest News