North Korea rocket launch: A 'provocative act'

April 5, 2009

North Korea rocket launch

A 'provocative act'

This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 26, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (center) inspecting the construction site of the Huichon power station in Jagang province. -- PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

WASHINGTON - THE United States late Saturday pledged to take action after North Korea fired a rocket, calling it a 'provocative act' that threatened security in Asia.

The missile launch is an early test for US President Barack Obama, who had joined other world leaders in urging the hardline communist state to drop plans to test a missile.

China quiet on NKorea rocket launch BEIJING- CHINA remained quiet for more than an hour after a rocket launch by North Korea Sunday, with state media quoting only South Korean and Japanese government sources and media when reporting the news. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman refused to comment on the launch when contacted by AFP, and said he would be in contact 'as soon as possible' with information. ... more Obama: NKorea launch violated UN resolution WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Sunday called North Korea's rocket launch 'provocative' and a clear violation of UN Security Council rules. Here is the full text of Mr Obama's statement. ... more

'Certainly it threatens the whole safely and security of that region,' State Department spokesman Fred Lash said as he confirmed the launch late on Saturday Washington time.

'We look on this as a provocative act and certainly would - from the United States - take appropriate steps to let North Korea know that it can't threaten the safety and security of other countries with impunity and acts like these,' Mr Lash said.

He said that the test violated UN Security Council Resolution 1718, which was adopted after Pyongyang carried out a nuclear test in 2006.

That resolution had imposed sanctions on military goods and luxury products to North Korea and warned it not to carry out any further nuclear of ballistic missile tests.

Japan requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting shortly after the launch. The UN Security Council said it will hold consultations on the North Korean missile launch at 3pm EDT on Sunday (3am Singapore time on Monday), a UN diplomat said.

The consultations of the 15 Security Council members will take place behind closed doors.

Diplomats say Japan and the United States want the council to pass a resolution condemning the launch and calling for tougher enforcement of existing U.N. sanctions against North Korea.

'As you know, it's a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718,' Mr Lash said. 'We know that for a fact. We certainly will take that under consideration in the next few days.' Congressman Howard Berman, who heads the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the UN Security Council should take action.

'The test is an unnecessary provocation that raises tensions in the region,' Mr Berman said in a statement.

Mr Berman called on China and Russia - which have diplomatic ties with Pyongyang - to join ranks with the United States and its allies Japan and South Korea in condemning the test.

The five countries are part of deadlocked negotiations on ending North Korea's nuclear programme. -- AFP, REUTERS

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North Korea's rocket passes over Japan

April 5, 2009

North Korea rocket launch

Rocket passes over Japan

This satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows a missile on the launchpad at Musudan-ni, North Korea, formally known as Taepodong missile launch facility. The image was collected Sunday March 29, 2009. -- PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOKYO/SEOUL - NORTH Korea launched a long-range rocket over Japan on Sunday, drawing swift international condemnation and triggering an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.

Washington said it would take steps to let the reclusive North know it could not threaten regional security. South Korea called the launch of the rocket, seen by many powers as a disguised missile test, a 'reckless' act.

SKorea calls emergency UN meeting UNITED NATIONS/TOKYO - JAPAN'S UN ambassador on Saturday requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss North Korea's rocket launch. No time for the meeting was announced, but it could take place as soon as Sunday. Security Council diplomats said arranging such a meeting usually takes at least half a day. ... more No reports of debris falling SEOUL - SOUTH Korea's presidential office has confirmed North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket launch from its east coast base. The Blue House says liftoff took place at 11.30 am (10.30am Singapore time) ... more Facts on NKorea's missile arsenal SEOUL - NORTH Korea, which fired a long-range rocket on Sunday, has for decades been developing missiles both for what it terms self-defence and as a lucrative export commodity. The hardline communist North said it was launching a communications satellite as part of a peaceful space programme, and the South Korean government said a satellite was aboard the rocket. ... more

'The launch by the North Koreans is seen as a provocative act and will prompt the United States to take appropriate steps to let North Korea know that it cannot threaten the safety and security of (other) countries with impunity,' State Department spokesman Fred Lash told reporters in a conference call.

Japan said it stopped monitoring the Taepodong-2 rocket after it had passed 2,100 km (1,305 miles) east of Tokyo, indicating the launch had been a success. In its only previous test flight, in July 2006, the rocket blew apart 40 seconds after launch.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a government official in Seoul as saying the rocket appeared to have carried a satellite, which Pyongyang had insisted was its plan.

The United States, South Korea and Japan had said the launch would actually be the test of the Taepodong-2, which is designed to carry a warhead as far as Alaska. It has an estimated range of 6,700 km (4,200 miles).

Sunday was the second day in the April 4-8 timeframe the secretive North, which tested a nuclear device in 2006, had set for the launch.

The first rocket booster stage appeared to drop into the Sea of Japan, an estimated 280 km (170 miles) west of the northern Japan coast, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

The second piece appeared to fall into the Pacific Ocean.

Stephen Bosworth, Washington's special envoy for North Korea, last week suggested the launch was a foregone conclusion and that he hoped to bring the North back to six-party talks on ending its nuclear programmes once the 'dust' had settled over the launch.

While saying the talks among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States were central to efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear programme, he also said Washington was ready for direct contact with Pyongyang at any time.

The six-party talks stalled in December and Pyongyang has threatened to quit the dialogue if the United Nations imposes any punishment over its rocket launch. -- REUTERS

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North Korea's Rocket a test of nuke missile

April 5, 2009

North Korea rocket launch

Rocket a test of nuke missile

SEOUL - THE United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is actually the test of a Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead as far as Alaska.

Impoverished North Korea, which for years has used military threats to wring concessions from regional powers, has said it is putting a satellite into orbit as part of a peaceful space programme and threatened war if the rocket was intercepted.

Analysis HERE are some comments from analysts about North Korea's launch of a long-range missile on Sunday. Brian Myers, Professor at south Korea's Dongseo University 'Whether the launch is successful or not is not as important as foreign people think because Kim Jong-il will have scored an internal propaganda coup simply be defying the world with impunity. He will be seen as firing this missile off into a hostile world, heedless of everybody who is trying to stop him from firing it. ... more Chronology of North Korean missile development THERE are key dates in Pyongyang's missile development: Late 1970s: Starts working on a version of the Soviet Scud-B (range 300 km or 187 miles). Test-fired in 1984 1987-92: Begins developing variant of Scud-C (500 km), Rodong-1 (1,300 km), Taepodong-1 (2,500 km), Musudan-1 (3,000 km) and Taepodong-2 (6,700 km) Aug 1998: Test-fires Taepodong-1 over Japan as part of failed satellite launch Sept 1999: Declares moratorium on long-range missile tests amid improving ties with US ... more

Analysts said the launch may help North Korean leader Kim Jong-il shore up support after a suspected stroke in August raised questions of his grip on power and bolster his hand in using military threats to win concessions from global powers.

The United States, Japan and South Korea see the launch as a violation of a UN Security Council resolution passed in 2006 after Pyongyang carried out the nuclear test and other missile tests.

That resolution, number 1718, demands North Korea 'suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme'.

UN Security Council diplomats have told Reuters on condition of anonymity that no country was considering imposing new sanctions but the starting point could be discussing a resolution for the stricter enforcement of earlier sanctions.

Both Russia and China, the latter the nearest the reclusive North has to a major ally, have made clear they would block new sanctions by the Council, where they have veto power.

Analysts say North Korea wants good film footage of a launch as part of plans to maximise its propaganda value.

The regime is seen as eager to give its people news of a technological triumph to bolster support at a time of lingering uncertainty over the health of leader Kim Jong-Il.

There are widespread reports Kim suffered a stroke last August. While apparently largely recovered, the incident has raised questions about who would succeed the 67-year-old.

North Korea is also seen as trying to strengthen its hand with Washington in future nuclear disarmament negotiations. The Taepodong-2 could reach Alaska or Hawaii at maximum range, but the North is not thought to have configured a warhead for it yet.

Pyongyang has said that even a debate about its launch in the UN Security Council - let alone any sanctions - would cause the breakdown of long-running six-nation nuclear disarmament talks. - REUTERS, AFP

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