Seoul says North’s troubling moves being monitored

South Korea has detected increased levels of troubling North Korean military activities, government sources said yesterday.

North Korea has ordered its forces on the west coast to increase their ammunition reserves to twice their peacetime levels, according to a government source. Also, the South has detected increased vehicle movements at a North Korean naval base and other coastal units.

Another source said North Korea has designated central and northern parts of the Yellow Sea as prohibited areas for vessels. While North Korea often restricts ships from navigating in parts of the western sea for military training purposes, the latest ban, according to the source, is effective until the end of July, longer in duration than usual.

The move has put South Korean authorities on heightened alert. “We’re keeping close tabs on the situation since restricting vessels could be an indication of a short-range missile launch or a military provocation,” the source said.

Also yesterday, South Korean intelligence sources said a missile has arrived at a North Korean launch base in the northwestern part of the country. A train transported the missile from an artillery research center near Pyongyang to Dongchang-ri in North Pyongan Province between last Saturday and Sunday, the source said.

Although the Dongchang-ri base is still under construction, North Korea “appears to be going ahead with a launch from there by mid-June,” according to the source.

Construction on the Dongchang-ri base began eight years ago. It is larger than the Musudan-ri base in North Hamgyong, from which a long-range rocket was fired on April 5.

Another source said the Dongchang-ri base has a single launch pad. It is still difficult to determine exactly when North Korea might fire a missile from there, he said, but it could be “any time after about two weeks.”

Last Wednesday, North Korea threatened to take military action against the South following Seoul’s joining of a U.S.-led anti-proliferation effort called the Proliferation Security Initiative. Pyongyang also said it could no longer guarantee the safety of South Korean and U.S. vessels on the west coast.

Since its second nuclear test last Monday, North Korea has fired six short-range missiles. Also, Chinese fishing boats have been observed pulling out of the Yellow Sea, prompting speculation that North Korea had encouraged them to do so as it prepares for military action.

Though tensions have continued to escalate on the peninsula, President Lee Myung-bak was steadfast yesterday that Seoul will stand up to threats.

In his bi-weekly radio address, Lee said he will ensure the safety of the South Korean public “under any circumstances” and added the South will not accept North Korean military threats and provocations. “North Korea must realize that threatening world peace and the stability of our nation and the world with nuclear weapons is actually what seriously threatens its own regime,” said Lee, who is in Jeju Island for a special summit with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“South Korea will never tolerate a situation where North Korea ignores the path to dialogue and peace and proceeds with military threats and provocations,” Lee said. Lee also said the United Nations Security Council’s preparations for sanctions are not designed to besiege and threaten North Korea, but are instead aimed at bringing Pyongyang to the table for dialogue.

“North Korea must give up nuclear weapons and become part of the international community,” the president said. “It’s not too late for North Korea. If it is willing to open up, we’re always ready to resolve issues through dialogue and cooperation.”

By Yoo Jee-ho [jeeho@joongang.co.kr]