Missile Test Update

North Korea’s launch pad on its west coast is ready for a first launch:

Photographic images show the launch tower and what appears to be construction materials on the launch pad, Tim Brown, a senior fellow with GlobalSecurity.org, said Thursday. He speculated that the debris may be there to make the pad appear as though it is still under construction. “The launch pad appears to be operational,” Brown said.  [AP, Pamela Hess]

Compare my photo from Google Earth to the latest image from Digital Globe.  Looks about the same to me, really.  And yes, that debris has sat there for a very long time … since September 18, 2006, according to Google Earth’s wonderful new time lapse feature.  North Korea’s missile program will become much more dangerous when they develop silos connected by tunnels, something I don’t doubt they’ve contemplated and could do.

And also on the West Sea front, a North Korean patrol boat crossed the NLL yesterday, sat there for an hour, and motored north again.  I agree with Bradley Martin that the North Koreans are going to pull some kind of military provocation against the South, but I also agree with Robert that they’d be fools to try a naval confrontation, something that President Lee has both the means and the will to make very embarrassing for His Withering Majesty.

Related:   It’s Korean War 2, Week 2, but South Koreans are still visiting the DMZ.