The Telegraph: North Korea Begins Fuelling Satellite

North Korea has begun fueling a rocket for a launch condemned by the West as a banned missile test, a Japanese newspaper reported, citing a source "close to the government" in Pyongyang. "The launch is coming closer. The possibility is high that the launch date will be set for April 12 or 13," the source said, according to the Tokyo Shimbun in a report from Seoul. It cited the source as saying that North Korea had begun injecting liquid fuel into the rocket. The paper also said a diplomatic source had confirmed that North Korea has moved the rocket to a launch pad in "Tongchang-ri in the country's far northwest. Japan's newspapers pay close attention to North Korea, and often lead the international media in breaking stories on the hermit state, sometimes ahead of their South Korean counterparts. The Tokyo Shimbun in particular is known for its connections with Kim Jong-Nam, the older brother of Pyongyang's new leader, Kim Jong-un. South Korea's defense ministry had no immediate comment on Thursday's report, but was scheduled to hold a press briefing later in the day. The military in Seoul said it had no information on whether the rocket was being fueled. The report came after North Korea insisted on Tuesday it would go ahead with what it insists is a satellite launch, snubbing a call from US President Barack Obama to drop the plan and accusing him of a "confrontational mindset". The United States has suspended plans to send food aid to North Korea, saying it has broken a promise to halt missile launches, and cannot be trusted to give help to those who need it, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. Under a deal reached last month, North Korea had agreed to a partial nuclear freeze and a missile test moratorium in return for US food aid.