DATE=9/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238313
TITLE=KOREA SATELLITE (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY EXPERTS WITH SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT
HAVE SEARCHED THE SKY AND AIRWAVES, BUT HAVE NOT FOUND THE
SATELLITE NORTH KOREA SAYS IT LAUNCHED LAST WEEK. V-O-A'S JIM
RANDLE REPORTS DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STILL SEARCHING AND
STILL REVIEWING DATA FROM THE LAUNCH (8/31).
TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE U-S MILITARY AGENCY
THAT TRACKS OBJECTS IN ORBIT, U-S SPACECOM, HAS BEEN WATCHING
CAREFULLY FOR SIGNS OF THE NORTH KOREAN SATELLITE. OFFICIALS AT
SPACECOM SAY THEY USE BOTH RADAR AND TELESCOPES TO KEEP TRACK OF
SPACE CRAFT AND DEBRIS IN ORBIT.
/// BACON ACT ///
SPACECOM HAS NOT OBSERVED ANY NEW OBJECT ORBITING THE
EARTH IN ORBITAL PATH THAT COULD CORRELATE WITH NORTH
KOREAN CLAIMS. (ALSO) TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, NO
U-S RADIO RECEIVER HAS BEEN ABLE TO PICK UP RADIO
TRANSMISSIONS AT 27 MEGAHERTZ WHICH NORTH KOREA SAID
THIS SATELLITE WAS BROADCASTING
/// END ACT ///
U-S INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ROUTINELY MONITOR A WIDE VARIETY OF
RADIO AND OTHER TRANSMISSIONS. MR. BACON SAYS THEY HAVE HEARD
NOTHING SO FAR, BUT ARE SILL STUDYING DATA FROM THE NORTH KOREAN
LAUNCH.
NORTH KOREA SPARKED PROTESTS FROM JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND THE
UNITED STATES WHEN IT LAUNCHED A NEW, TWO STAGE ROCKET THAT
CROSSED JAPANESE TERRITORY. A FEW DAYS AFTER THE LAUNCH, NORTH
KOREAN OFFICIALS SAID THE LAUNCH WAS NOT A WEAPON, BUT A
SATELLITE THAT BROADCAST SONGS ABOUT NORTH KOREA ON THE 27
MEGAHERTZ RADIO BAND.
MR. BACON SAYS THE DEBATE OVER WHETHER OR NOT NORTH KOREA TESTED
A WEAPON OR LAUNCHED A SATELLITE MISSES THE POINT. HE SAYS
PYONGYANG DEMONSTRATED THAT IT COULD SEND A PAYLOAD FURTHER THAN
EVER BEFORE, A DEVELOPMENT HE CALLS 'WORRISOME.' (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/WDC/JO
08-Sep-98 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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