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Key developments since North Korea’s rocket launch

SEOUL — Tensions with North Korea have escalated sharply since the country launched a long-range rocket to put a satellite into orbit on Sunday (Feb 7). A look at the latest developments:

A poster bearing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen during an anti-North Korea rally in central Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Reuters

A poster bearing an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen during an anti-North Korea rally in central Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Reuters

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SEOUL — Tensions with North Korea have escalated sharply since the country launched a long-range rocket to put a satellite into orbit on Sunday (Feb 7). A look at the latest developments:

NORTH KOREA FREEZES SOUTH KOREAN ASSETS AT FACTORY PARK: North Korea today (Feb 11) vowed to immediately deport all South Koreans and freeze all South Korean assets at a jointly run factory park in the North. It was a swift, aggressive response to South Korea’s decision yesterday to suspend operations at the former symbol of inter-Korean cooperation.

Pyongyang also was shutting down two crucial cross-border communication hotlines and putting the Kaesong complex under military control.

The factory park, which started operations in 2004 and is their last major cooperation project, has provided 616 billion won (S$712 million) of cash to North Korea, according to Seoul. Last year, 124 South Korean companies hired 54,000 North Korean workers to produce socks, wristwatches and other goods.

MORE SANCTIONS: The US Senate yesterday unanimously passed legislation that aims to deprive the North of the financing to make miniaturised nuclear warheads and long-range missiles. The legislation also authorises US$50 million (S$70 million) over the next five years to transmit radio broadcasts into North Korea, purchase communications equipment and support humanitarian assistance. A House bill was overwhelmingly approved last month.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said his country would impose new sanctions. The measures, which require Cabinet and parliamentary action, will include expanded restrictions on travel between the countries and a complete ban on visits by North Korean ships to Japanese ports.

Discussions were continuing at the UN Security Council to impose new sanctions, a White House official said.

MILITARY OFFICIAL EXECUTED?: A South Korean official said today that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had his military chief executed for corruption and other charges. If true, the execution of Mr Ri Yong-gil, chief of the North Korean military’s general staff, would be the latest in a series of killings, purges and dismissals since Kim took power in late 2011. South Korean officials have a spotty record of tracking developments in opaque North Korea.

LONG-RANGE ROCKET LAUNCH: North Korea on Sunday launched a long-range rocket in what is widely considered a cover for a banned test of technology for a missile that could strike the US mainland. It was widely condemned, with the South Korean president calling it an “intolerable provocation”. The North said the rocket put an Earth observation satellite into orbit; outside experts say the satellite does not appear to be transmitting signals.

The launch follows North Korea’s widely disputed claim last month to have detonated a hydrogen bomb in its fourth nuclear test. AP

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