The construction of a satellite launching station in North Korea has hit a “new level of urgency" as it is reported to be preparation for a launch, stated a US-based think tank in a report, which cited commercial satellite imagery.

North Korea said that its first military spy satellite has been completed and leader Kim Jong Un has given approval for final preparations to launch it and successfully place it in orbit, without announcing a date.

On Monday, commercial satellite imagery showed that construction of a new launch pad is progressing steadily in a coastal area east of North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station and going forward at a "remarkable pace", stated 38 North, a Washington-based programme which monitors North Korea, in its report on Thursday.

"While the key components of the Sohae complex have been undergoing modernisation and expansion over the past year, this uptick in activity suggests a new level of urgency in making the site ready to accommodate satellite launches," the report stated.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-south-korea-announce-new-north-korea-sanctions-on-it-workers-595993">US, South Korea announce new North Korea sanctions on IT workers</a>

<h2>Features of the new launch pad</h2>

The new launch pad is likely to feature a &nbsp;rail-mounted assembly structure which is likely to be used for lifting a rocket into place, a tunnel for funnelling flames away and lighting towers.&nbsp;

If the launch pad will be used to service liquid-fuelled rockets, then the structure will most likely need additional infrastructure, added the report.&nbsp;

At the main launch pad of Sohae, crews appear to have made modifications to the gantry tower, while they continue to work on a storage for fuel and oxidizer.

A new area, from where VIPs are likely to observe launches has also been reportedly completed, stated 38 North.&nbsp;

Analysts stated that the military satellite will be part of the efforts of the nuclear-armed state to enhance surveillance technology, which includes drones as well as improve its ability to hit targets during conflicts.&nbsp;

Several attempts have been made by North Korea to launch "earth observation" satellites among which two have been placed successfully in orbit, the last one happening in 2016.

International observers stated that the satellite appeared to be under control, however, there was lingering debate over whether any transmissions were sent by them.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;North Korea's first spy missile gets final nod from Kim Jong-Un

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<h2>South Korea gears up for launch of space rocket</h2>

South Korea is set to launch its homegrown Nuri space rocket on Thursday after it was cancelled earlier because of technical glitches, stated the science ministry.&nbsp;

"The engineers have modified the control programme, and we finally confirmed through repeated tests that it works stably," said Deputy Science Minister Oh Tae-seok at a press briefing, adding that vehicle itself did not have any problems.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The construction of a satellite launching station in North Korea has hit a “new level of urgency" as it is reported to be preparation for a launch, stated a US-based think tank in a report, which cited commercial satellite imagery.

The construction of a satellite launching station in North Korea has hit a “new level of urgency" as it is reported to be preparation for a launch, stated a US-based think tank in a report, which cited commercial satellite imagery. North Korea said that its first military spy satellite has been completed and leader Kim Jong Un has given approval for final preparations to launch it and successfully place it in orbit, without announcing a date. On Monday, commercial satellite imagery showed that construction of a new launch pad is progressing steadily in a coastal area east of North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station and going forward at a "remarkable pace", stated 38 North, a Washington-based programme which monitors North Korea, in its report on Thursday. "While the key components of the Sohae complex have been undergoing modernisation and expansion over the past year, this uptick in activity suggests a new level of urgency in making the site ready to accommodate satellite launches," the report stated. ALSO READ | US, South Korea announce new North Korea sanctions on IT workers Features of the new launch pad The new launch pad is likely to feature a rail-mounted assembly structure which is likely to be used for lifting a rocket into place, a tunnel for funnelling flames away and lighting towers. If the launch pad will be used to service liquid-fuelled rockets, then the structure will most likely need additional infrastructure, added the report. At the main launch pad of Sohae, crews appear to have made modifications to the gantry tower, while they continue to work on a storage for fuel and oxidizer. A new area, from where VIPs are likely to observe launches has also been reportedly completed, stated 38 North. Analysts stated that the military satellite will be part of the efforts of the nuclear-armed state to enhance surveillance technology, which includes drones as well as improve its ability to hit targets during conflicts. Several attempts have been made by North Korea to launch "earth observation" satellites among which two have been placed successfully in orbit, the last one happening in 2016. International observers stated that the satellite appeared to be under control, however, there was lingering debate over whether any transmissions were sent by them. WATCH | North Korea's first spy missile gets final nod from Kim Jong-Un South Korea gears up for launch of space rocket South Korea is set to launch its homegrown Nuri space rocket on Thursday after it was cancelled earlier because of technical glitches, stated the science ministry. "The engineers have modified the control programme, and we finally confirmed through repeated tests that it works stably," said Deputy Science Minister Oh Tae-seok at a press briefing, adding that vehicle itself did not have any problems. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Construction at North Korea’s satellite launch pad hits ‘new urgency’: Report

Rapid&nbsp;international&nbsp;cooperation&nbsp;is required in order to avoid the irreversible&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;brought about by&nbsp;global&nbsp;warming, according to officials from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as they explained their latest report at a press briefing in Geneva on Monday.

According to the newly released&nbsp;WMO&nbsp;report entitled "The&nbsp;Global&nbsp;Climate in 2015-2019", the past five-year period has been the warmest half-decade on record.

It says the average&nbsp;global&nbsp;temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial period and has risen by 0.2 degrees Celsius compared to the period between 2011 and 2015.

The report also shows that sea level rises, long-term and large-scale heat waves, as well as massive forest fires, have become even more extreme during the past five years.

The scientific community has largely come to the realization that the world is now at a dangerous climate tipping point.

The report also points out that extreme weather has had an increasingly severe impact on social and economic development and the natural environment.

It concludes that the&nbsp;international&nbsp;society must conduct fundamental social and economic transitions quickly in areas such as land utilization and energy, so as to avoid possible irreversible&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;brought by&nbsp;global&nbsp;warming.

"There is also an emerging trend in using renewable energy. I think in China, for instance, they have built a very powerful plan to transit into renewable energy using wind energy for instance. I think there are some encouraging signs here. The only problem we have is we have to act very soon and very rapidly, because it's now not a problem of actions, it's a problem of the timing. We need to do that as fast as possible," said Omar Baddour, a senior scientific officer with the&nbsp;WMO.

The report stresses that a&nbsp;global&nbsp;temperature rise exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius will be inevitable if no immediate actions are taken to improve Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), measures which must be made to combat the crisis.

The report was submitted to the UN Climate Action Summit, which opened at United Nations headquarters in New York on Monday.

"The intention of the climate summit and the UN Secretary-General has been very much leading in this regard is to try to encourage much more rapid adoption of the measures that are&nbsp;needed&nbsp;to reduce the emissions," said Maxx Dilley, director of the&nbsp;WMO's Climate Prediction and Adaptation branch.

Rapid international cooperation is required in order to avoid the irreversible impacts brought about by global warming, according to officials from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as they explained their latest report at a press briefing in Geneva on Monday.

Rapid international cooperation is required in order to avoid the irreversible impacts brought about by global warming, according to officials from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as they explained their latest report at a press briefing in Geneva on Monday. According to the newly released WMO report entitled "The Global Climate in 2015-2019", the past five-year period has been the warmest half-decade on record. It says the average global temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial period and has risen by 0.2 degrees Celsius compared to the period between 2011 and 2015. The report also shows that sea level rises, long-term and large-scale heat waves, as well as massive forest fires, have become even more extreme during the past five years. The scientific community has largely come to the realization that the world is now at a dangerous climate tipping point. The report also points out that extreme weather has had an increasingly severe impact on social and economic development and the natural environment. It concludes that the international society must conduct fundamental social and economic transitions quickly in areas such as land utilization and energy, so as to avoid possible irreversible impacts brought by global warming. "There is also an emerging trend in using renewable energy. I think in China, for instance, they have built a very powerful plan to transit into renewable energy using wind energy for instance. I think there are some encouraging signs here. The only problem we have is we have to act very soon and very rapidly, because it's now not a problem of actions, it's a problem of the timing. We need to do that as fast as possible," said Omar Baddour, a senior scientific officer with the WMO. The report stresses that a global temperature rise exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius will be inevitable if no immediate actions are taken to improve Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), measures which must be made to combat the crisis. The report was submitted to the UN Climate Action Summit, which opened at United Nations headquarters in New York on Monday. "The intention of the climate summit and the UN Secretary-General has been very much leading in this regard is to try to encourage much more rapid adoption of the measures that are needed to reduce the emissions," said Maxx Dilley, director of the WMO's Climate Prediction and Adaptation branch.

Urgent international cooperation needed to address global warming impacts: WMO

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