Photo: AFP

North Korea has halted preparations for the long-range rocket launch scheduled for this month. According to a government source, North Korea will postpone the launch due to some technical problems. Pyongyang announced earlier this month that it would launch a three-stage rocket carrying an earth observation Kwangmyungsung-3 satellite from the Tongchang-ri launching pad sometime between December 10 and December 22. While North Korea insists the rocket is for peaceful scientific purposes and fully compliant with international law, the US and its allies say the purpose of launch is to test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.