North Korea Likely To launch Long-range Rocket From New Launcher

North Korea will launch a new, long-range rocket, possibly in October from its newly erected launch tower at its missile base.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday that the 220-foot tower will be able to carry the launch of a longer-range missile, twice the size of the 30-metre Unha-3 rocket launched in December, 2012.

Unha-3 refers to the long-range rocket fired in 2012 from the base near its west coast.

 "Our assessment is that the North will use the newly upgraded Tongchang-ri missile launch pad to launch a long-range missile" a South Korean government official said.

North Korea is banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions from carrying tests that use ballistic missile technology but has ignored international warnings and sanctions to pursue missile and nuclear programs.

The launch is likely to come around the 70th anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling Workers' Party on Oct. 10.

North Korea is believed to be developing an intercontinental ballistic missile but has remained years away from deployment. It is also working to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to mount on a delivery vehicle.