[科技前沿]韓國計劃於今日首次發射衛星

SEOUL PLANS FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCH

South Korea plans to make its first satellite launch today in a step that could test North Korea's commitment to recent rapprochement moves and rekindle fears of an Asian arms race.

Although North Korea's self-claimed satellite launch in April appeared to have failed, the growing technological prowess demonstrated by firing a long-range rocket unnerved politicians in Seoul. Seoul has also been eager to demonstrate its capabilities as China, India and particularly Japan have moved into space missions.

Japan has set next month for the debut launch of a new unmanned resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station.

South Korea's government has been unabashed in wanting its space programme expanded with an eye to putting astronauts into space. Russian rockets have in the past carried South Korean satellites and, last year, the first Korean astronaut. Russia has also provided critical assistance for South Korea's rocket programme.

North Korea insists its rocket launch in April marked the successful launch of a satellite that is now beaming patriotic anthems from space. The US, South Korea and Japan contest this and say Pyongyang was simply upgrading its ballistic weapons. Stung by UN Security Council sanctions over the launch, Pyongyang has said it expects the UN to show impartiality by condemning South Korea's rocket launch.

“North Korea's reaction will be a barometer of how committed it is to the recent positive trend,” said Andrew Gilholm, senior analyst at Control Risks, the security consultancy, referring to a recent thawing of ties between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Pyongyang has freed US and South Korean detainees and has pledged to co-operate on investment and tourism projects.

After North Korea's launch, politicians in the south complained South Korea was being held back by its adherence to the Missile Technology Control Regime, an informal agreement with the US that restricted southern scientists to working on ballistic missiles with a range of less than 300km. North Korea's rocket flew about 3,000km.

韓國計劃於今日首次發射衛星，此舉可能考驗朝鮮對近期和解姿態的承諾，並再次引發人們對亞洲軍備競賽的擔憂。

儘管朝鮮4月份自稱的衛星發射似乎失敗了，但其發射遠程火箭所展示出的不斷髮展的技術實力，讓首爾的政界人士感到不安。隨着中國、印度以及特別是日本都啓動了太空任務，韓國也一直渴望能夠展示其能力。

日本將於下月首次向國際空間站發射新的無人駕駛補給飛船。

韓國政府一直毫不掩飾其有意擴大太空項目，包括把宇航員送上太空。俄羅斯火箭曾在過去運載過韓國衛星，並在去年將韓國首位宇航員送上太空。俄羅斯還爲韓國的火箭項目提供了關鍵協助。

朝鮮堅稱，4月份的火箭發射標誌着該國成功發射了衛星，目前衛星正從太空發送愛國歌曲。美國、韓國和日本反駁了這一說法，它們表示，平壤只是升級了其彈道武器。朝鮮對聯合國安理會因其發射火箭而出臺的制裁耿耿於懷，稱預期聯合國將譴責韓國發射火箭，以示公正。

安全諮詢機構控制風險集團(Control Risks)高級分析師安德魯•吉洛姆(Andrew Gilholm)表示：“朝鮮的反應，將顯示其在多大程度上致力於延續最近的積極趨勢。”他指的是最近韓國與朝鮮緊張關係有所緩和。

平壤已釋放了拘留的美國和韓國人員，並承諾在投資和旅遊項目上予以合作。

在朝鮮發射火箭之後，韓國政界人士抱怨稱，韓國受到“導彈及其技術控制制度”(Missile Technology Control Regime, MTCR)的限制。MTCR是韓國與美國簽署的非官方協議，它意味着韓國科學家受到限制，只能開發射程小於300公里的彈道導彈。朝鮮的火箭射程爲3000公里。