A satellite image of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex shows the reactor's cooling tower (circled), which was demolished in June. Photograph: Reuters
North Korea is building a new missile base near its border with China to launch rockets that exceed its current range capability, South Korea's defence minister said today.
Lee Sang-hee told South Korea's parliament that the new missile site on North Korea's west coast was designed to fire "a bigger-sized missile or satellite projectile" than rockets deployed on the North's existing Taepodong facility on the country's east coast.
North Korea's missile programme has been a key regional concern, along with its nuclear programme - the country carried out its only nuclear test in 2006.
But last month the US removed the communist nation from the list of states that support terrorism after North Korea took steps to dismantle its nuclear programme and promised access to its nuclear sites.
North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium to produce about half a dozen bombs, but it is not believed to have acquired the technology needed to mount a nuclear weapon on a missile.
In 2006, the North launched a long-range Taepodong-2 missile from its east coast site. The missile, considered the country's most advanced rocket, has a range of more than 9,300 miles (15,000km) — far enough to strike the western US.
But the test was considered a failure as the rocket plunged into the ocean shortly after lift-off.
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