Posted on 04/04/2009 8:48:14 PM PDT by Man50D
Japanese broadcaster NHK says North Korea has launched a missile as threatened with a report the second stage landed in the Pacific Ocean about 1,100 miles from Japan.
North Korea had informed international authorities that it planned to launch a rocket sometime between Saturday and Wednesday to put a satellite into orbit.
But the U.S., South Korea, Japan and others suspect it is a cover for testing a long-range missile for the North, which has nuclear weapons. Leaders from those countries had warned Pyongyang not to proceed with the planned rocket launch. Japanese government sources reported it appeared to be a long-range missile.
Such a test would be a first step toward putting a nuclear warhead on a missile capable of reaching Alaska and beyond.
Liftoff took place at 11:30 a.m. local time Sunday from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in northeastern North Korea, the South Korean government said. In Washington, the State Department also confirmed the launch.
The rocket flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese broadcaster NHK said, citing its government.
Resisting calls from President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and Hu Jintao of China to call off the launch, North Korea had announced Saturday that preparations were complete to send communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 on a multistage rocket bound for the skies over Japan.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
He look like Giant Robot LOL!
throw some rice at North Korea... that should make their thug leaders happy for about a week.
Not amusing! Any word on the payload?
None so far, as far as I have read. it ditched in the Pacific halfway to Hawaii.
This test was a complete success. North Korea tested our willingness to respond and they got exactly the result they hoped for. We did nothing.
"I can NOW see North Korean missiles from my house"
I’m sure Kim Jong Il will feel a tremendous sense of remorse now that President Obama has condemned the launch. That’s really going to have a hugh impression on the Dear Despot.
/sarcasm tag
Yesterday N. Korea had no missile launches. Today they have
one. Next year in your back door.
Whose to stop them?
Zer0 likely called with congradulations.
Interestingly, Anchorage AK, is closer to Pyonyang than it is to Tampa, Florida!
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