U.S. Reluctant to Fully Share N. Korean Missile Launch Intelligence With Japan

Yonhap News ^ | 08/07/06 | Shin Jihong

[TigerLikesRooster]

/begin my translation

U.S. Reluctant to Fully Share N. Korean Missile Launch Intelligence With Japan

(Tokyo=Yonhap News) Shin Jihong correspondent = U.S. authorities are reluctant to share intelligence regarding N. Korea missile launch with Japan, which made it difficult for Japan's Defense Agency to write up reports (on the matter,) according to Nihon Geizai Shimbun on Aug. 6.

The Defense Agency was due to publish its report on Aug. 5, but U.S. demanded it to withhold the detailed intelligence, which delayed writing and publication of the report. This prompted Nukaga Fukushiro, Minister of Defense Agency, to suspend it.

It was U.S. early warning satellites which first detected N. Korean missile launches including that of Taepodong-2. U.S. does not allow full sharing of the satellite intelligence with allies including Japan, since it is top secret, according to the news.

Another reason for delay is the discrepancy between the intelligence analysis of U.S. and that of Japan. U.S. concluded that, of 7 missiles, two were Rodong's and four were Scud's, while the (Japan's) Defense Agency believes that one of them is a new missile, the upgraded version of Scud C.

/end my translation

[TigerLikesRooster]

Usually, when inteligence is shared, S. Korean and Japanese media talk early and a lot, while U.S. media is the last to report, quoting the media in the two countries, even though all their sources are actually U.S. intelligence.

In this case, not much intelligence is apparently getting out, which means that N. Korea's missiles still have problems to be worked out and U.S. does not want to provide them with details on how missiles performed.

As always, there are many important things which are well-hidden from public eyes and quietly in progress.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Khurkris]

I think that is the correct course of action.