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Seoul poised to shoot down NK rocket debris
The Korea Times ^ | 3/26/2012 | Lee Tae-hoon

Posted on 03/26/2012 5:59:22 PM PDT by U-238

The military is mulling ordering the deployment of missile interceptors to shoot down any debris that could fall on South Korean territory in the event that a satellite bearing North Korean rocket strays from its planned trajectory.

The Stalinist regime recently announced that it would launch a satellite from a long-range rocket sometime between April 12 and 16 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the April 15 birth of its founder Kim Il-sung.

“We are preparing measures to track the missile's trajectory and shoot it down if by any chance it deviates from the planned route and falls into our territory,” said Col. Yoon Won-shik, a vice spokesman at the Ministry of National Defense.

“The launch will be a very reckless, provocative act that undermines peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

The remarks were made amid growing concern that the first stage of the rocket, scheduled to drop into the West Sea between South Korea and China, may fall onto the South’s territory, possibly in a heavily populated area.

He noted that the military would only prepare for the possible fall of parts as it is impossible for interceptors to shoot down a rocket flying at an altitude of more than 200 kilometers over South Korean territory.

“The Army will have no choice but do its best to intercept parts of the rocket with PAC-2 Patriot missiles if they fly too close to the South's territory,” Yoon said.

The PAC-2’s range is 70 kilometers. It is only capable of shooting down targets flying at an altitude of up to 20 kilometers.

In 2007, the South Korean military purchased 48 secondhand Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) systems from Germany but their ability to intercept North Korean missiles is limited as it is optimized primarily for engagements against aircraft with limited capability

(Excerpt) Read more at koreatimes.co.kr ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dprk; icbm; koreanpeninsula; missiledefense; rokaf; rokn; seoul; skorea; southkorea; taepodong; tongchang

1 posted on 03/26/2012 5:59:29 PM PDT by U-238
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To: U-238

“The military is mulling ordering the deployment of missile interceptors to shoot down any debris”

I don’t think they need to shoot it down. I’m pretty sure it will come down anyway.


2 posted on 03/26/2012 6:25:29 PM PDT by suthener
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To: suthener
“The military is mulling ordering the deployment of missile interceptors to shoot down any debris”

I don’t think they need to shoot it down. I’m pretty sure it will come down anyway.

I'd bet they are just being ready in case the missile has a different purpose--like delivering a payload. Disrupting a physics package before 'activation' renders it just so much radioactive junk.

Any significant deviation from the announced flight path is justification for intercept.

3 posted on 03/27/2012 6:50:25 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: suthener

They will shoot down the missle then they will shoot down the debris then the shrapnel will be shot down too....

They are just being thourough.


4 posted on 03/27/2012 9:37:45 AM PDT by GraceG
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