hankyoreh

Mississippi

By Park Hyun, Washington correspondent and Jeong Nam-ku, Tokyo correspondent

In advance of North Korea’s expected launch of a long-range rocket, the US is hurrying to reposition two destroyers equipped with advanced radar capabilities and capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

At a news conference on the topic of “Asia-Pacific Security Concerns and Rebalance” held at the Pentagon on Dec. 6 (local time), Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of the US forces in the Pacific, said that the navy was relocating important assets “to ensure that we have properly reassured our allies and that we have properly defended our own homeland.” He added that the warships will have “the best situational awareness” and will be positioned so that they are “capable of participating in ballistic missile defense.”

the Benfold is the 15th of 35 planned Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. She joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet for service on 30 March 1996. A US Navy guided-missile destroyer equipped with the AEGIS air-defense system and the Mark-41 Vertical Launch System for multiple types of guided missiles

CNN quoted a number of officials who said that the missile destroyers USS Benfold and USS Fitzgerald are being relocated to an area where they can monitor the launch of North Korea’s long-range rocket. Of these, the USS Benfold is one of the newest American Aegis destroyers and is equipped with powerful radar and over 90 missiles. It is capable of tracking and intercepting ballistic missiles from hundreds of kilometers away. According to CNN, it is possible that the US may move two more warships within a few days.

When asked about what North Korea hoped to accomplish through the rocket launch, Admiral Locklear cited reports that the launch is connected with the first anniversary of the death of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. However, he said that it was the military’s view that the North wants to “demonstrate to the world that they have the capacity to…build missiles and have the missile technology to be able to use it.”

On Dec. 7, at a meeting of the Japanese Security Council with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda presiding, the Japanese government issued a command to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces that they should destroy the North Korean rocket if there is a chance it could land on Japanese territory. The Japanese Ministry of Defense has stationed PAC-3 Patriot surface-to-air guided missiles from the Japan Air Self Defense Force at seven locations, including three spots near Tokyo and various places on Okinawa and the surrounding islands.

“If [the rocket launched by North Korean] follows its usual course, it will not fall on Japanese territory,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Hujimura, calling on the Japanese people to remain calm and continue with their everyday lives.

Japan had previously issued this destruction order when North Korea launched a ballistic missile that passed by Japanese air space in April 2009 and when the North launched a long-range rocket in April 2012.

Wang Jiarui, who is currently in the US, is planning to meet high-ranking officials in the US State Department while in Washington, the Pentagon announced late on Dec. 6 (local time). Wang, Minister of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee’s International Department, visited Pyongyang and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Nov. 30, a day before the North announced it would be launching a long-range rocket, and he is expected to mediate in some way between the North and the US.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]