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Benjamin · 09-10-2006, 16:45

Report: North Korea launches 7th missile
7/5/2006
By Susan Page, David Jackson and Bill Nichols, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON —

North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, South Korean officials said, intensifying the furor ignited when the reclusive regime launched at least six missiles earlier in the day.
An official at the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that North Korea had tested a seventh missile that was either short- or medium-range. The official had no additional details.

Japan's Kyodo News agency reported that the missile landed six minutes after launch, but did not say where. The chief of Russia's general staff said that Russian tracking systems showed that Pyongyang may have launched up to 10 missiles during the day, the Interfax news agency reported.

Defense officials could not immediately confirm the report. It was unclear what type of missile was launched or where it landed.

North Korea defied international objections and prompted a diplomatic scramble Tuesday by launching a long-range missile capable of reaching the USA, U.S. officials said. The Taepodong-2 missile failed within a minute and landed in the sea.

At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton held what he called "urgent" consultations. The Security Council was likely to meet today, spokesman Richard Grennell said. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was being dispatched to Asia as early as this morning.

In Japan, government spokesman Shinzo Abe threatened economic sanctions.

While the test launches of the Taepodong-2 and five shorter-range missiles didn't pose a military threat, they ignited a firestorm among governments that have been working to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea may have as many as 13 nuclear weapons, according to the Institute for Science and Security, a Washington think tank. The Taepodong-2 is believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and its reported 9,320-mile range means it could reach major cities on the U.S. West Coast.

"In doing this, the North Koreans have once again isolated themselves; they have defied their neighbors," White House press secretary Tony Snow said. President Bush had been conferring with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Snow said.

The launches appeared to be an effort by North Korea and its reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, to get the attention of the United States with a trademark bit of stagecraft and timing, said Michael O'Hanlon, a military affairs analyst at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "Doing this on the Fourth of July was probably irresistible to them," he said.

North Korea launched the missiles before dawn today local time, which was Tuesday afternoon in most of the USA. The first launch came at 2:33 p.m. ET. That was five minutes before the space shuttle Discovery lifted off in Florida and as the capital prepared for the traditional Fourth of July fireworks display on the National Mall.

Snow said two short-range missiles were launched first, followed by the long-range missile at 4:01 p.m. and three more short-range missiles just after 6 p.m. All came down in the Sea of Japan, which separates Korea and Japan.

Alarm about the possible launch of the long-range missile had accelerated amid reports in recent weeks that North Korea was fueling the Taepodong-2.

National security adviser Stephen Hadley, who had called Bush to brief him, said the president wasn't surprised at the news "because we've seen this coming for a while."

Snow said the administration planned to move forward in "a cool and diplomatic" manner. "The last thing we want to do is escalate this," he said. Even so, "it is definitely a provocation."

09-10-2006, 16:45	#27
Benjamin TBB Family Registriert seit: Mar 2004 Beiträge: 10.374	Report: North Korea launches 7th missile 7/5/2006 By Susan Page, David Jackson and Bill Nichols, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, South Korean officials said, intensifying the furor ignited when the reclusive regime launched at least six missiles earlier in the day. An official at the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that North Korea had tested a seventh missile that was either short- or medium-range. The official had no additional details. Japan's Kyodo News agency reported that the missile landed six minutes after launch, but did not say where. The chief of Russia's general staff said that Russian tracking systems showed that Pyongyang may have launched up to 10 missiles during the day, the Interfax news agency reported. Defense officials could not immediately confirm the report. It was unclear what type of missile was launched or where it landed. North Korea defied international objections and prompted a diplomatic scramble Tuesday by launching a long-range missile capable of reaching the USA, U.S. officials said. The Taepodong-2 missile failed within a minute and landed in the sea. At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton held what he called "urgent" consultations. The Security Council was likely to meet today, spokesman Richard Grennell said. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was being dispatched to Asia as early as this morning. In Japan, government spokesman Shinzo Abe threatened economic sanctions. While the test launches of the Taepodong-2 and five shorter-range missiles didn't pose a military threat, they ignited a firestorm among governments that have been working to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions. North Korea may have as many as 13 nuclear weapons, according to the Institute for Science and Security, a Washington think tank. The Taepodong-2 is believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and its reported 9,320-mile range means it could reach major cities on the U.S. West Coast. "In doing this, the North Koreans have once again isolated themselves; they have defied their neighbors," White House press secretary Tony Snow said. President Bush had been conferring with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Snow said. The launches appeared to be an effort by North Korea and its reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, to get the attention of the United States with a trademark bit of stagecraft and timing, said Michael O'Hanlon, a military affairs analyst at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "Doing this on the Fourth of July was probably irresistible to them," he said. North Korea launched the missiles before dawn today local time, which was Tuesday afternoon in most of the USA. The first launch came at 2:33 p.m. ET. That was five minutes before the space shuttle Discovery lifted off in Florida and as the capital prepared for the traditional Fourth of July fireworks display on the National Mall. Snow said two short-range missiles were launched first, followed by the long-range missile at 4:01 p.m. and three more short-range missiles just after 6 p.m. All came down in the Sea of Japan, which separates Korea and Japan. Alarm about the possible launch of the long-range missile had accelerated amid reports in recent weeks that North Korea was fueling the Taepodong-2. National security adviser Stephen Hadley, who had called Bush to brief him, said the president wasn't surprised at the news "because we've seen this coming for a while." Snow said the administration planned to move forward in "a cool and diplomatic" manner. "The last thing we want to do is escalate this," he said. Even so, "it is definitely a provocation."