Contingency plans: Kim Jong-un promotes nuclear and missile chiefs to inner circle in preparation of rocket launch

April 7, 2012 – NORTH KOREA – Their elevation to senior military ranks is being seen by diplomats and intelligence experts as a sign that he intends sticking to the hard-line path laid out by his late father, whom he succeeded three months ago. It comes ahead of a planned long-range rocket launch by North Korea this week which has led to Japan and South Korea putting their armed forces on high alert, with both threatening to shoot the missile down if it approaches their territory. North Korea warned on Saturday that it would retaliate with “merciless punishment” against any country that does so. The planned rocket launch has also scuppered a food-aid deal with the U.S. which might have helped millions of hungry North Koreans. The formal transfer of dynastic power to Kim, believed to be aged 28 or 29, will be confirmed this week at two set-piece gatherings in Pyongyang where he is expected to be named to posts held by his father, Kim Jong-il, who died in December. The Workers’ Party of Korea has called a special conference for Wednesday when he should be appointed its general secretary and two days later the rubber-stamp parliament is likely to name his as chairman of the national defense commission. Meanwhile Kim has surrounded himself with the officials who are planning the rocket launch that will mark next weekend’s 100th anniversary of the birth of the country’s founder, Kim il-Sung. The new leader is modeling himself physically on his grandfather, from his paunchy figure to his haircut and clothes. A successful launch would burnish his image as the reincarnation of the man who was posthumously proclaimed “eternal president.” North Korea claims it is merely dispatching an “earth observation satellite” into space. But foreign intelligence agencies believe that the North’s goal is to conduct a banned test of long-range missile technology as it tries to develop a nuclear warhead that could reach Hawaii and Alaska. Iran, which has helped North Korea to develop its nuclear and missile programs, will also be watching closely. “It is clear that this young man is moving to consolidate his leadership in a very aggressive manner with these displays of strength,” said Victor Cha, who negotiated with North Korean leaders on behalf of President George W Bush’s National Security Council.  –Telegraph 

China troubled by North Korean launch: China’s foreign minister said Sunday that his country is troubled by North Korea’s plan to launch a long-range rocket and has urged more diplomacy to handle the situation, a measured response to a provocation that has unsettled the region. Following trilateral talks in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, the foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea both said a launch by North Korea would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions — indicating their belief that the North should face sanctions if it goes through with the plan. But China, the North’s closest ally, instead urged more dialogue and communication. “The Chinese side is troubled by the developments, and strongly encourages everyone involved on all sides, at high and low levels, to remain calm and reasonable,” Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told reporters. “These issues need to be worked out in a diplomatic and peaceful manner.” Japan’s Kyodo News service reported that Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said the three sides failed to reach a consensus on the launch, an apparent reference to China’s softer approach. –Google