(VOVworld) - North Korea has erected a new, taller launch tower at its missile base near its west coast. The 50-meter tall tower in Tongchang-ri in the Northwest of North Korea has been upgraded to 67 meters and is likely to be used for firing a long-range rocket to mark an important national anniversary in October.

The Unha-3 rocket carrying the second version of Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite, is launched at West Sea Satellite Launch Site in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province, December 12, 2012 (Photo: Reuters)

The tower will be able to accommodate the launch of a longer-range missile than the rocket Unha-3 which was test-fired in December 2012, and was widely considered successful in putting an object into space orbit. A South Korean government source assessed that the North will use the newly upgraded Tongchang-ri (missile) launch pad to launch a long-range missile larger than Unha-3.