North Korea 'tests new missile'

[pennst8]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4503531.stm

Japanese officials say they are checking reports that North Korea has test-fired a short-range missile into the Sea of Japan.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the missile had flown about 100km (62 miles) into the sea.

Japan has been monitoring North Korea after US warnings that it is close to testing its first nuclear warhead.

North Korea has already developed long-range missiles that reach Japan and has pulled out of nuclear talks.

In March the government said it was no longer observing a self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing which had been in place since 1999.

Uncompromising language

Japanese news agency Kyodo said Tokyo had been informed by the US military of the North Korean test, believed to have been carried out at 0800 (2300 GMT on Saturday).

The US has not commented on the reports.

At a time when every move by North Korea has been scrutinised by its neighbours, the test-firing of even a short-range missile is a cause for anxiety, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Tokyo.

No-one outside the secretive communist state has any clear idea what its intentions are, our correspondent says. US officials fear North Korea is now preparing to test its first nuclear device after its announcement in February that it already possessed nuclear weapons and that it would not be coming back to the six-party negotiations over its nuclear programme.

On Thursday, a senior US intelligence official told senators in Washington that North Korea now had the capability to arm its missiles with nuclear warheads, although he was not sure how quickly it could do so.

A full nuclear test would run the risk of alienating China and South Korea that are vital for North Korea's ruined economy, says our Tokyo correspondent.

But analysts believe it may still feel it has to go ahead to prove to itself and to the world that it has mastered the technology to join the nuclear club, says our correspondent.

North Korea last launched a high-profile missile test in March 2003, to coincide with the inauguration of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.

These were two short-range land-to-ship missiles fired into the Sea of Japan.

It has not launched long-range missiles since 1998, when a Taepodong 1 missile flew over Japan.

So uh, how long before the North Koreans do something crazy?

 

[KBayDog]

So uh, how long before the North Koreans do something crazy?

About 55 years....AGO.

 

[pennst8]

Ow my pride...:yell_125:

But you're right.

 

[danthaman]

Depends on how long the world continues to appease kim jong il

 

[PropStop]

I'm so ronery!

 

[KBayDog]

I'm so ronery!

I'm Matt Damon!

 

[SURF TO LIVE]

Well hell, since Madelaine Aintthatbright and other Clinton cronies thought it would be a great idea to subsidize N. Korea's nuclear program, maybe Hillary can broker a deal and sell them our missile defense system. Makes just as much sense. Jeeeeezzzzzzzuuuuuuuuussssssssss H. Christ!!!!!!!

 

[A4sForever]

No suprise --- missiles are cheap and easy for them. They did this two years ago with short range missiles and in 1998 (?) with an intermediate missile into the Pacific. Ultimately, I think this is good (?) --have patience-- as it gets the attention of the ROK's , Chinese and Japanese BIG TIME --- none of which want a nuclear-armed NK.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Maybe if we let Kim Jong Il sleep in the Lincoln bedroom, and then have Sandy "Pants" Berger sell him a few of those secret documents he is running around with, we can appease them just long enough for the "next guy," to have to do something about it...

 

[petescheu]

Ahh gotta love the Clintons for single handedly compromising national security... At least GW has the balls to build the missile defense system. I think it's more clear now than ever that it is a necessary part of the budget.

 

[danthaman]

I believe it was Clinton who gave crazy kim nuclear power technology in exchange for not developing a nuclear weapons program...oh wait, that's right n. korea admitted last year that they recently developed a nuke. so much for that brilliant idea.

 

[Brett327]

Ow my pride...:yell_125:

But you're right.

Yeah, this is pretty standard ops from those guys. Have no fear, sufficient deterrence is in place to ensure that NK would become one big smoking hole if they so much as flinch.

Brett

 

[Brett327]

Well hell, since Madelaine Aintthatbright and other Clinton cronies thought it would be a great idea to subsidize N. Korea's nuclear program, maybe Hillary can broker a deal and sell them our missile defense system. Makes just as much sense. Jeeeeezzzzzzzuuuuuuuuussssssssss H. Christ!!!!!!!

Let's hope we don't have to relearn that lesson w/ Iran. Russia? China? France? You guys paying attention?

Brett

 

[Ryoukai]

^ Clearly Russia is not. Although, really, if I were a country looking to get nuclear power, would I really seek out the Russians? They don't seem to have a great safety rating when it comes to anything nuclear.
Regarding NK, you know you've screwed the pooch somewhere when your only ally in the world (China) is pitching for the other team.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Honestly if there was ever a country to go to war with and to do it unilaterally and with complete unpredicated surprise - i.e. not wait for them to do something stupid - North Korea would be it.

Doesn't everyone also think that the world community would breath a huge sigh of relief when North Korea is defeated and the capital/industrial machine of south Korea is allowed to march North?