朝鲜航天部门官员星期日做出罕见举动，允许外国记者观看一枚火箭。朝鲜不顾美国和韩国的反对，正准备在本周发射这枚火箭。参观火箭活动进行时，美国之音获取的韩国情报照片显示，朝鲜看上去在准备进行第三次核试验。
记者们说，在朝鲜西海岸的平安北道东仓里航天基地，这枚“银河3号”三级火箭已经架设在发射台上。朝鲜方面还向记者展示了一个指挥中心，身穿白色工作服的技术人员在计算机的终端上忙碌。平壤坚持说，将在4月12号到16号之间的发射的这枚火箭只是向太空送入一颗气象卫星，但是美国和韩国认为，这次发射是为了进行弹道导弹试验。
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.
