North Korea party to meet before rocket launch

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Satellite imagery has revealed that North Korea's launch of a controversial rocket is imminent.

Preparations for blast-off sometime between April 12-16 are further advanced than previously believed, a US specialist website reported, citing the new satellite photographs.

The North says its rocket will put a peaceful satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and other nations see it as a pretext for a long-range missile test banned by the United Nations.

The 38 North website (38north.org) said a March 28 photo of the launch site at Tongchang-ri in the country's far northwest appeared to show a mobile radar tracking system atop a ridge at the end of a new dirt road.

It said the image also shows previously empty areas filled with rows of what are probably empty fuel and oxidiser tanks, apparently dumped after their contents had been transferred in preparation for launch.

The North is preparing mass celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary on April 15 of the birth of Kim Il-Sung, the country's first and "eternal" president and founder of the dynasty which has ruled uninterrupted since 1948.

A successful satellite launch would burnish the image of his grandson Kim Jong-Un as he seeks to establish his credentials as a strong leader.

The party meeting is expected to wrap up the power transfer to Jong-Un, proclaimed 'great successor' after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il last December.

Several foreign leaders at a nuclear summit in Seoul last week reportedly criticised the launch as a waste of money when the North is struggling to feed its people.

An unidentified South Korean military official quoted by Yonhap news agency estimated the launch cost at $850 million - $400 million for construction of the launch site, $300 million for the rocket and $150 million for the payload.

This could buy 2.5 million tonnes of Chinese corn and feed the North's entire population for a year, the official said, adding Pyongyang is expected separately to spend $2 billion on celebrating the birth anniversary.