朝鲜核问题特使李根说，尽管本周与美国官员在德国进行了长时间的会谈，平壤方面仍将进行本月的火箭发射计划。李根星期二从德国抵达北京，朝鲜的发射计划正引发国际有关方面的高度紧张。
朝鲜说，发射的目的是将一枚气象卫星送入轨道，但是美国、韩国等国家认为，朝鲜将试验一枚远程导弹。李根说，美朝双方进行了一次“自然、深入”的探讨，但是他表示，朝鲜仍有权进行这次发射。朝鲜说，发射卫星是为了庆祝朝鲜开国领导人金日成即将到来的百年诞辰。
North Korea's nuclear envoy says Pyongyang will still proceed with this month's scheduled rocket launch, despite lengthy meetings with U.S. officials in Germany this week. Ri Gun arrived in the Chinese capital city Tuesday from Germany, as international tensions increase over the planned launch.
Pyongyang says the launch is aimed to place a weather satellite in orbit, but the U.S., South Korea and other nations believe the North will test a long-range missile. Ri Gun says the two sides had a "natural, in-depth" discussion, but says the North still has the right to carry out the launch. Pyongyang says it will launch the satellite to mark the upcoming 100th birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung.