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By Gilles Campion

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TONGCHANG-RI SPACE CENTRE, North Korea — North Korea’s Unha-3 long-range rocket was on its launch platform Sunday as the regime insisted again that it is part of a peaceful space program and not a disguised ballistic missile, as the U.S. claims.

The usually secretive North organize an unprecedented visit for foreign reporters to Tongchang-ri space centre in an effort to show its rocket.

Communist North Korea says it will launch the satellite for scientific research between April 12 and 16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-Sung. His birthday was on April 15.

“To say this is a missile test is really nonsense,” said Jang Myong-Jin, head of the space centre.

“This launch was planned long ago, on the occasion of the 100th birthday of [late] president Kim Il-Sung. We are not doing it for provocative purposes.”

The rocket would propel the Kwangmyongsong-3 (Shining Star) satellite into orbit to observe the earth and collect data on forests and natural resources in impoverished but nuclear-armed North Korea, officials said.