North Korea 'is rebuilding' a long-range missile site

Foreign experts and South Korean sources say that North Korea is rapidly reactivating a long-range missile launch site that it dismantled last year as part of its disarmament program. This was reported by the Associated Press on Wednesday, citing foreign experts and a report provided by South Korea's intelligence service to one of the country's lawmakers. France's news agency also reported that activities have been observed at the mentioned site, the 'Sohae' satellite launch site located in 'Tongchang-ri', indicating that Pyongyang is likely seeking to quickly rebuild these facilities. This action follows the recent Hanoi summit between North Korean and U.S. leaders, which ended in failure. Donald Trump, the U.S. President, and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, met last week for the second time in the Vietnamese capital to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The talks came less than a year after the leaders' first meeting in Singapore. While both sides left the meeting expressing optimism, the discussions ended without a signed agreement. Trump stated that the main issue was sanctions, with North Korea calling for the lifting of all sanctions. However, North Korea claims its request was only for the lifting of some sanctions. The news of North Korea's 'rebuilding' of the missile site comes as the U.S. and South Korea recently announced that they would not conduct their spring exercises in the region to assist negotiations for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. John Bolton, the U.S. National Security Advisor, said on Tuesday to Fox Business that if Pyongyang does not abandon its nuclear weapons program, the U.S. will intensify sanctions against the country. He added that Washington is still waiting to see whether Pyongyang intends to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Bolton emphasized, 'If North Korea is unwilling to do that, President Trump has made it clear that the country will not be freed from crushing economic sanctions, and we will actively seek to intensify those sanctions.' Despite being impoverished and isolated, North Korea conducted its first successful nuclear test in 2006. In 2017, the country claimed it had become a nuclear power and that its nuclear weapons could reach U.S. territories. In response to this trend, the United Nations Security Council imposed heavy sanctions on North Korea's exports and imports.