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북한이 4일 중거리 미사일을 동해안으로 이동시키고 미국이 괌에 최첨단 미사일 방어 시스템을 투입키로 했다. 이에 따라 한반도 긴장국면과 북미 (北美) 간 대립이 한층 고조될 것으로 보인다.
북한은 이날 인민군 총참모부 대변인 담화를 통해 미군이 한미 합동군사훈련에 B-52, B-2 전략폭격기와 F-22 전투기, 핵잠수함과 구축함이 투입한 것을 비난하며 대미 (對美) 도발 위협을 전개했다.
담화를 통해 북측 대변인은 “우리의 혁명무력의 무자비한 작전이 최종적으로 검토, 비준된 상태에 있음을 정식으로 백악관과 펜타곤에 통고한다”고 선언했다.
북한은 이날 인민군 총참모부 대변인 담화를 통해 미군이 한미 합동군사훈련에 B-52, B-2 전략폭격기와 F-22 전투기, 핵잠수함과 구축함이 투입한 것을 비난하며 대미 (對美) 도발 위협을 전개했다.
담화를 통해 북측 대변인은 “우리의 혁명무력의 무자비한 작전이 최종적으로 검토, 비준된 상태에 있음을 정식으로 백악관과 펜타곤에 통고한다”고 선언했다.
정부 소식통에 의하면 미사일은 무수단급 중거리 미사일로 보인다고 한다. 무수단 미사일은 사거리 3,000~4,000km로 괌 기지를 요격할 수 있다.
익명을 요구한 당국 관계자는 “이 미사일에 탄두가 장착됐는지는 아직 분명하지 않다”면서 “북한이 실제 발사하기 위해 옮겼는지, 무력시위 또는 대미 (對美) 위협 차원에서 이동시켰는지 예의주시하고 있다.”고 전했다.
외교 전문가들은 북한이 김일성 주석 생일인 태양절(4월 15일) 전후로 발사할 가능성이 크다고 판단한다. 무수단 미사일은 길이 12~18.9m, 지름 1.5~2m이고 2009년 기준으로 50발 실전 배치되어 있는 것으로 알려졌다. 지난 2010년 10월 노동당 창건 65주년 기념 군사퍼레이드에서 처음 공개되었다.
일본 아사히 신문도 이날 한미일 정부 소식통을 인용해 북한이 신형 장거리 미사일로 보이는 물체를 동해안으로 이동시켰다고 보도했다.
이날 김관진 국방부 장관은 국회 국방위원회 전체 회의에서 “아직 북한의 위협이 전면전으로 이어질 가능성은 많지 않다”며 북한 체제 특성상 국지 도발이나 사이버 테러를 감행할 가능성이 있어 여러 시스템을 정비해 훈련하고 있다고 설명했다.
고고도방어체계는 트럭 발사대, 요격 미사일, AN/TPY-2 추적 레이더, 총합 사격통제시스템을 갖추고 있다. 사거리 200km, 요격고도 150km로서 초속 2.5km로 날아오는 미사일을 요격할 수 있다.
미국 국방부는 3일(현지시간) 성명을 내 “몇주일 내에 고고도방어체계(THAAD)를 괌에 배치할 것”이라 밝히며 이는 “북한의 탄도미사일 위협에 대한 방어 태세를 강화하기 위한 예방적 조치”라고 설명했다.
이에 앞서 미 국방부는 2017년 9월까지 알라스카와 캘리포니아 주에 미사일 요격 시설 14개를 추가 구축해 대북(對北) 미사일 방어 시스템을 강화하겠다고 발표한 바 있다.
미 국방부는 이날 “미국 정부는 북한 지도부에 대해 도발적 위협을 중단하고 국제의무를 준수함으로써 평화의 길을 선택할 것을 거듭 촉구한다” 면서 “북한의 도발을 경계하면서 미국과 동맹국들의 영토 및 이익을 보호하기 위한 준비 태세를 유지할 것”이라고 강조했다.
이에 앞서 미 국방부는 2017년 9월까지 알라스카와 캘리포니아 주에 미사일 요격 시설 14개를 추가 구축해 대북(對北) 미사일 방어 시스템을 강화하겠다고 발표한 바 있다.
척 헤이글 미국국방장관은 이날 국방부 공식 발표 전 워싱턴 DC국방대학 강연에서 북한의 위협을 “미국과 동맹국들에 대한 실질적이고 명백한 위협”이라고 규정했다.
북한은 최근 한미 연합 군사 훈련을 국가 체제에 대한 위협으로 규정하여 한국, 일본, 괌 등지 주요 미군 기지를 요격하겠다고 위협해 왔다. 아울러 지난 달 11일 키 리졸브 훈련에 맞춰 정전협정 백지화 및 전시상황 돌입을 선언하여 꾸준히 대남 (對南) 위협 수위를 높여왔다. 아울러 북한은 3일 남한 근로자 개성공단 입경 금지를 일방적으로 통보해 남북 긴장을 고조시켰다. (코리아 헤럴드 송상호 기자/번역 이상주)
<관련 영문 기사>
N.K. moves intermediate-range missile to east coast
Military tension reached a new high on the Korean Peninsula Thursday as North Korea was seen moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast and the U.S. unveiled its plan to deploy a key missile defense asset to Guam.
Berating Washington for its recent deployment of strategic military assets such as B-2 and F-22 stealth warplanes, Pyongyang’s military said it officially informed the White House and Pentagon that it had “final approval for merciless operations” against the U.S.
Seoul officials said the North’s missile in question appears to be the Musudan ballistic missile with a range of 3,000-4,000. The missile brings Guam, a key U.S. strategic base in the Asia-Pacific region, within striking range.
“It is unclear whether the missile carries a warhead or not. We are closely watching it to ascertain whether the North moved it to actually fire it or in a show of force to threaten the U.S.,” a military source said, declining to be named.
Observers believe Pyongyang could launch it around the “Day of the Sun,” the birthday of its late founding father Kim Il-sung on April 15. Some 50 Musudan missiles were deployed as of 2009. The missile, which has yet to be openly tested, was first unveiled during a military parade in October 2010.
Citing Tokyo government sources, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reported on the day that the North was seen moving what appeared to be the KN-08 missile, which experts speculate is a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
Amid escalating military threats by the North, Seoul’s Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said during a parliamentary session that there were not yet any possibilities of an all-out war on the peninsula. But he said that Seoul was closely watching the possibility of provocations in various forms including cyber attacks.
As Pyongyang has hardened its bellicose rhetoric against Washington, the Pentagon plans to deploy a land-based “terminal high-altitude area defense system” to Guam in the coming weeks as a precautionary move to counter a possible attack.
The deployment plan came after the Pentagon unveiled its plan last month to strengthen missile defense against the North by installing 14 additional ground-based interceptors at its bases in Alaska and California by September 2017.
“The U.S. continues to urge the North Korean leadership to cease provocative threats and choose the path of peace by complying with its international obligations,” the Pentagon said while announcing the deployment plan in a statement.
“The U.S. remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and stands ready to defend U.S. territory, our allies, and our national interests.”
The THAAD system, which is part of the U.S.-led broader missile defense program, includes a truck-mounted launcher, a complement of interceptor missiles, an AN/TPY-2 tracking radar, and an integrated fire control system.
The global U.S. missile shield aims to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles heading toward its mainland with multiple assets -- suited for different altitudes -- such as the THAAD, ship-based Standard Missile 3 and Patriot Advanced Capability-3.
During a speech at the National Defense University on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said North Korea’s bellicose rhetoric posed a “real, clear danger and threat to the U.S. and its Asia-Pacific allies,”
Pyongyang has ratcheted up its rhetoric as Seoul and Washington have moved to strengthen their allied defense posture by adopting a counter-provocation plan and display their might through high-tech weapons systems.
In an angry response to the allies’ moves, the North has threatened to strike U.S. bases in South Korea, Japan, Guam, Hawaii and its mainland.
In its latest hostile statement, the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army warned that reckless U.S. threats would be hit by “cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means.”
Late last month, the North Korean military’s Supreme Command said it had put its missile and artillery units at the highest level of combat readiness. In a special statement issued by the country’s government, parties and other organizations, the North also said the Korean Peninsula had entered a state of war.
Pyongyang has already declared that it would scrap the armistice agreement and inter-Korean nonaggression pacts.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
N.K. moves intermediate-range missile to east coast
Military tension reached a new high on the Korean Peninsula Thursday as North Korea was seen moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast and the U.S. unveiled its plan to deploy a key missile defense asset to Guam.
Berating Washington for its recent deployment of strategic military assets such as B-2 and F-22 stealth warplanes, Pyongyang’s military said it officially informed the White House and Pentagon that it had “final approval for merciless operations” against the U.S.
Seoul officials said the North’s missile in question appears to be the Musudan ballistic missile with a range of 3,000-4,000. The missile brings Guam, a key U.S. strategic base in the Asia-Pacific region, within striking range.
“It is unclear whether the missile carries a warhead or not. We are closely watching it to ascertain whether the North moved it to actually fire it or in a show of force to threaten the U.S.,” a military source said, declining to be named.
Observers believe Pyongyang could launch it around the “Day of the Sun,” the birthday of its late founding father Kim Il-sung on April 15. Some 50 Musudan missiles were deployed as of 2009. The missile, which has yet to be openly tested, was first unveiled during a military parade in October 2010.
Citing Tokyo government sources, Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reported on the day that the North was seen moving what appeared to be the KN-08 missile, which experts speculate is a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
Amid escalating military threats by the North, Seoul’s Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said during a parliamentary session that there were not yet any possibilities of an all-out war on the peninsula. But he said that Seoul was closely watching the possibility of provocations in various forms including cyber attacks.
As Pyongyang has hardened its bellicose rhetoric against Washington, the Pentagon plans to deploy a land-based “terminal high-altitude area defense system” to Guam in the coming weeks as a precautionary move to counter a possible attack.
The deployment plan came after the Pentagon unveiled its plan last month to strengthen missile defense against the North by installing 14 additional ground-based interceptors at its bases in Alaska and California by September 2017.
“The U.S. continues to urge the North Korean leadership to cease provocative threats and choose the path of peace by complying with its international obligations,” the Pentagon said while announcing the deployment plan in a statement.
“The U.S. remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and stands ready to defend U.S. territory, our allies, and our national interests.”
The THAAD system, which is part of the U.S.-led broader missile defense program, includes a truck-mounted launcher, a complement of interceptor missiles, an AN/TPY-2 tracking radar, and an integrated fire control system.
The global U.S. missile shield aims to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles heading toward its mainland with multiple assets -- suited for different altitudes -- such as the THAAD, ship-based Standard Missile 3 and Patriot Advanced Capability-3.
During a speech at the National Defense University on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said North Korea’s bellicose rhetoric posed a “real, clear danger and threat to the U.S. and its Asia-Pacific allies,”
Pyongyang has ratcheted up its rhetoric as Seoul and Washington have moved to strengthen their allied defense posture by adopting a counter-provocation plan and display their might through high-tech weapons systems.
In an angry response to the allies’ moves, the North has threatened to strike U.S. bases in South Korea, Japan, Guam, Hawaii and its mainland.
In its latest hostile statement, the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army warned that reckless U.S. threats would be hit by “cutting-edge smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear strike means.”
Late last month, the North Korean military’s Supreme Command said it had put its missile and artillery units at the highest level of combat readiness. In a special statement issued by the country’s government, parties and other organizations, the North also said the Korean Peninsula had entered a state of war.
Pyongyang has already declared that it would scrap the armistice agreement and inter-Korean nonaggression pacts.
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
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