[ewing]

An how do we know that this sateilite was carrying at the time?

[John H K]

Because a satellite launch would be launched eastwards due to the earth's rotation, it is fairly difficult to distinguish a NK satellite launch from a NK ballistic missle attack.

And we didn't then, and currently do not, have any ability to shoot down such a missle; ballistic missle defense is not deployed operationally.

It would be somewhat embarassing for the US to launch a nuke attack on NK and have their launched missle turn out to be a satellite.

Hence, I don't think you're going to see us launch nukes just because the NKs have launched a missle; there's no point in not waiting to see where such a missle lands.