朝鮮宣稱成功試射中遠程火箭

North Korea on Monday claimed success in developing a new long-range rocket capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, a boast that will set off new alarms in Washington if it proves to be true.

朝鮮週一宣稱成功研發出能攜帶核彈頭的新型中遠程火箭，如果這一自誇之言被證明屬實，將在華盛頓拉響新的警報。

Pyongyang said a ballistic missile test early on Sunday used a new rocket that could be equipped with a “large-size heavy nuclear warhead” and warned that its weapons were capable of reaching the mainland US.

平壤方面表示，週日早進行的彈道火箭試射使用了一枚可攜帶“大型重量核彈頭”的新型火箭，並警告其武器已能打擊美國本土。

North Korean propaganda regularly overstates the country’s military capabilities and should be treated with wariness. However, the comments chime with those of experts, as well as Japanese defence officials, who noted that Pyongyang’s latest test appeared to show significantly enhanced range.

朝鮮的宣傳一貫誇大該國軍事能力，因此應當謹慎對待。不過，上述言論與專家及日本防務官員的說法相吻合，他們指出平壤最新的試射似乎顯示出射程得到顯著提高。

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “hugged officials in the field of rocket research, saying that they worked hard to achieve a great thing”, according to an English-language news report from KCNA, Pyongyang’s official news agency.

朝鮮官方通訊社朝中社(KCNA)一篇英文新聞報道稱，朝鮮領導人金正恩(Kim Jong Un)“擁抱着火箭研究部門幹部讚賞道，你們真辛苦了，成就了一番大事業”。

Describing US policy as “coward American-style fanfaronade militarily browbeating only weak countries”, the agency said that if the US provoked North Korea it would “not escape from the biggest disaster in the history”.

朝中社稱美國的政策是“專挑無核國家、國力微弱的民族訴諸武力的卑鄙的美國式虛張聲勢”，該社表示如果美國冒然觸犯朝鮮，“必會遭到史上最大的災殃”。

The rocket flew about 700km and reached an altitude of more than 2,000km. If fired at a lower trajectory, analysts believe the missile could have a range of more than 4,500km, putting US bases in Guam within range.

此次試射火箭飛行距離約700公里，上升高度超過2000公里。分析人士認爲，如果以較低的彈道發射，這枚導彈的射程可能超過4500公里，覆蓋關島的美軍基地。

“Had North Korea launched this missile at its maximum range, it would have covered US bases in Japan, Guam and potentially Hawaii,” said Bong Youngshik, a North Korean expert at Yonsei university.

延世大學(Yonsei University)朝鮮問題專家奉英植(Bong Young-shik)表示：“如果朝鮮以最大射程發射這枚導彈，它將覆蓋美國在日本、關島、可能還有夏威夷的基地。

“The North Korea military were very mindful with this test. They wanted Seoul and Washington to recognise it and thus strengthen Pyongyang’s hand in any upcoming negotiations.”

“朝鮮軍方很重視這次試射。他們希望首爾和華盛頓方面認識到它，從而強化平壤方面在任何即將到來的談判中的地位。”