국정원 "北, 8월 미사일 추가 시험발사 가능성"<br /><br />South Korea's intel agency believes there could be more weapons tests by the regime.<br />It's thought this would be an act of protest against Seoul's joint military drills with Washington, as well as introduction of advanced fighter jets.<br />Kim Mok-yeon turns the spotlight to this analysis.<br />South Korea's National Intelligence Service says it's keeping close tabs on any additional weapons testing by North Korea this month.<br />After attending parliament's intelligence committee meeting on Thursday,... main opposition Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Lee Eun-jae quoted Suh Hoon the chief of the NIS as saying that there remains a possibility of more missile tests, as the North seeks to improve its missile capabilities and voice its complaints.<br />"The NIS said that the North could launch another missile test in August. The reason could be because of South Korea's introduction of F-35 stealth fighter jets and planned joint military drills with the U.S."<br />According to Lee, the NIS also thinks that that there seems to be a practical need for Pyeongyang to speed up the development of its weapons system before resuming denuclearization talks with the U.S.<br />On Wednesday's launches, ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Min-ki quoted the NIS as saying that what the North fired had characteristics similar to short-ranged ballistic missiles, but more analysis is underway.<br />"The NIS said the projectile test-fired by North Korea on July 31st flew some 250 kilometers at an altitude of 30 kilometers, and that its flight data resembles a new type of short-range ballistic missile. But since North Korea announced that it was a<br />new multiple rocket launcher instead, the intelligence agency said they are conducting further analysis."<br />"As for developments regarding Jo Song-gil,... a former North Korean envoy to Italy who disappeared last November,... the intelligence agency reportedly said that he has left Rome and is under protection "somewhere else" without revealing the details."<br />Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.<br />
