朝鲜证实推迟火箭发射

North Korea has admitted that technical problems might make it delay a rocket launch, as Seoul pursues a last-ditch attempt to persuade its neighbour to abandon the plan.

朝鲜承认，由于出现技术问题，该国可能被迫推迟既定的火箭发射。韩国仍在为说服邻国放弃发射计划而做着最后的努力。

Pyongyang confirmed last week that it was planning a satellite launch between December 10 and December 22, following media reports based on photographs showing apparent preparations at its launch site near the Chinese border.

朝鲜上周证实，计划在12月10日至12月22日之间发射一枚卫星。此前媒体报道，据照片显示，接近中国边境的一处发射场明显正在进行发射准备工作。

However, North Korean state media yesterday reported an official spokesman as saying the window for launching the satellite had been extended to December 29. “Scientists and technicians?.?.?.?are pushing forward the preparations for the launch, he said. “They, however, found technical deficiency in the first-stage control engine module of the rocket carrying the satellite.

然而，朝鲜官方媒体在昨日报道中援引一位官方发言人的话表示，卫星发射的时间窗口最晚已经推迟至12月29日。“科学家和技术人员……正在推进发射的准备工作，他表示，“但他们发现，运载火箭的第一级操纵发动机系统存在技术缺陷。

In April, North Korea admitted the failure of a rocket launched on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, its first ruler. This was a break with previous practice, when Pyongyang insisted that launches had succeeded, despite foreign assessments to the contrary. The latest attempt to launch a rocket has been condemned by South Korea and the US, while China has expressed “deep concern. North Korea says the launch is peaceful and will comply with relevant international regulations. But it will breach a UN Security Council resolution banning the country from testing ballistic missile technology.

今年4月，朝鲜承认在其开国领导人金日成(Kim Il-sung)诞辰100周年进行的火箭发射失败。这可谓打破常规，因为朝鲜一贯坚称火箭发射成功，即便外国的评估得出相反结果。

South Korea is trying to rally international pressure in the hope of convincing Pyongyang to abandon the launch. After hints on Sunday of a possible change of schedule, Kim Sung-hwan, Seoul’s foreign minister, told senior officials to “make diplomatic efforts to the end to get [North Korea] not to launch the missile, according to the South Korean state news agency Yonhap.

朝鲜最近这一次火箭发射计划受到了韩国和美国的谴责，中国也表示了“严重关切。朝鲜表示，这次发射是出于和平目的，并将遵守相关国际规定。但是，这次发射将违反联合国安理会(UN Security Council)关于禁止朝鲜试验弹道导弹技术的决议。

Poo Hyeong-wook, an analyst at the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses, said the postponement could have followed Chinese pressure. “My guess is that China put pressure on them to delay the rocket launch, he said.

韩国正在呼吁国际社会向平壤施压，敦促其放弃发射计划。据韩国国家通讯社韩联社(Yonhap)报道，韩国外长金星焕(Kim Sung-hwan)在周日暗示可能会改变日程安排之后，指示高级官员“做出外交努力，力求让（朝鲜）不要发射导弹。

Chung Young-tae – a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a think-tank – said it was unlikely that pressure from Beijing or any foreign state had prompted Pyong-yang’s announcement. “Such pressure has been there all the time, he said. “I think North Korea just needs more time to solve its technical problems.

韩国国防分析研究院(Korea Institute for Defence Analyses)分析师Poo Hyeong-wook表示，朝鲜推迟发射可能是迫于中国的压力。他说：“我估计，中国已经向朝鲜施压要求其推迟发射。

韩国统一研究院(Korea Institute for National Unification)研究员Chung Young-tae表示，来自中国和任何其他国家的压力都不太可能是平壤推迟发射的原因。他说：“这种压力一直以来都存在。我认为，朝鲜只是需要更多的时间来解决技术上的问题。