朝鮮邀請外國記者參觀火箭發射基地

North Korean space officials took the rare step Sunday of allowing foreign journalists to see a rocket, that, despite the objections of the United States and South Korea, is being prepared for launch this week. The rocket viewing came as South Korean intelligence photos, obtained by VOA, showed what appear to be preparations for a third North Korean nuclear test.

Reporters said all three stages of the Unha-3 rocket were on the launch pad at the new Tongchang-ri space facility in North Phyongan province on the west coast. The reporters were also shown a command center where white-coated technicians labored over computer terminals. Pyongyang maintains that the rocket, to be launched between April 12 and 16, will carry only a weather satellite, but the U.S. and South Korea say the event is a test of a ballistic missile.朝鮮航天部門官員星期日做出罕見舉動，允許外國記者觀看一枚火箭。朝鮮不顧美國和韓國的反對，正準備在本週發射這枚火箭。參觀火箭活動進行時，美國之音獲取的韓國情報照片顯示，朝鮮看上去在準備進行第三次核試驗。

記者們說，在朝鮮西海岸的平安北道東倉里航天基地，這枚“銀河3號”三級火箭已經架設在發射臺上。朝鮮方面還向記者展示了一個指揮中心，身穿白色工作服的技術人員在計算機的終端上忙碌。平壤堅持說，將在4月12號到16號之間的發射的這枚火箭只是向太空送入一顆氣象衛星，但是美國和韓國認爲，這次發射是爲了進行彈道導彈試驗。