News & Politics - North Korea tests 7th missile amid furor

Lexis · 07-05-2006, 04:13 AM

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North Korea test-fired another missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor ignited when the reclusive regime launched at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong, earlier in the day.

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The missiles apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, and U.S. officials said the long-range Taepodong-2 failed shortly after take-off, calling into question the technological capability of North Korea's feared ballistic missile program. Pyongyang last fired a long-range missile in 1998.

But the audacious military exercise drew immediate attention and condemnation. The North American Aerospace Defense Command monitored the launches as they progressed but soon determined they were not a threat to the United States, a spokesman said.

The political reaction was swift. The White House called the tests a "provocation," while the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday and Tokyo warned of economic sanctions against the impoverished, communist country.

North Korea remained defiant. A North Korea foreign ministry official told Japanese journalists in Pyongyang that the regime there has an undeniable right to test missiles.

"The missile launch is an issue that is entirely within our sovereignty. No one has the right to dispute it," Ri Pyong Dok, a researcher on Japanese affairs at the North's Foreign Ministry, said on footage aired by TBS. "On the missile launch, we are not bound by any agreement."

Japanese national broadcaster NHK reported that an unidentified Foreign Ministry official in Pyongyang acknowledged the firing of the missiles, but Ri told reporters that diplomats like himself are unaware of what the military is doing.

Some feared more firings. Pyongyang could test additional missiles soon despite the international furor over Wednesday's launches, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after making a protest via telephone to North Korea's ambassador to Canberra, Chon Jae Hong.

"We think they probably do intend to launch more missiles in the next day or two," Downer told reporters, without explaining if the possibility of more tests came up in his talk with Chon.

North Korea tests 7th missile amid furor - Yahoo! News

I guess someone wanted some time back in the spotlight after we all switched attention to Iran.

-Kelly- · 07-05-2006, 08:15 AM

This is scary, I live in Australia...they think it will hit australia, it was on our news.

TokyoNiGHTS · 07-05-2006, 08:55 AM

I'm so happy that Bush went and focused on the real threat to the general public instead of wasting time on Iran and NK.

Vacate · 07-06-2006, 08:42 AM

Yeah, NKorea scares the s--- outta me with this.

Someone should have put a lid on them years ago.

**TheAngel** · 07-06-2006, 12:11 PM

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Originally Posted by TokyoNiGHTS

I'm so happy that Bush went and focused on the real threat to the general public instead of wasting time on Iran and NK.

Yes, let's fight North Korea and China, because we have the manpower to do that...sure.

*Lauren · 07-06-2006, 03:47 PM

I don't think we should fight then, but sticking your fingers in your ears and singing isn't going to make them go away. They now have the capacity to nuke Australia. What was done to stop that happening? (and I blame Howard for this as well mind you)

TokyoNiGHTS · 07-06-2006, 08:40 PM

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Originally Posted by TheAngel

Yes, let's fight North Korea and China, because we have the manpower to do that...sure.

I think you missed my point which was there were bigger threats to the US than Iraq was to us. We heard over and over that Iraq and nukes and Iraq was trying to make nukes, yet we've seen no evidence. But we do have evidence of what NK is doing and that's scary. Although ofcourse now we can't actually fight them or anyone else.

**HappySquared** · 07-07-2006, 12:21 AM

I kinda thought that NK is a bigger threats than the Iraqis or the Afgans. It's scary that if NK eventually used those missiles, it'll probably start another world war. And being so close to NK makes my country or any Asian country vulnerable to war.

It's sad.

Lexis · 07-07-2006, 06:40 AM

A war with North Korea would be horrific. We'd need to get pass the DMZ (not easy when its littered with mines and North Korean soldiers are on the other side) or go in by sea (with its own issues) or conduct an air war. I read a news story once about how there are apparently a network of bunkers that the leadership would retreat too - it'd be the people we'd be bombing.

Ugh. There is so much bad in the world it really makes you depressed sometimes.

**Avatar** · 07-07-2006, 09:43 AM

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Originally Posted by *Lauren

They now have the capacity to nuke Australia.

Say what now? The missiles tested were fairly standard ballistic missiles, and the Taepodong-2, which is the only one with the capacity to reach Australia, failed shortly after launch. They do have some short range missiles which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and hitting South Korea and Japan (which would, I suppose, make it a 'dirty bomb'), but they definately do not have the capacity to nuke Australia.

Luinélwen · 07-07-2006, 09:54 AM

Would a war with NK really work? Aren't the pretty much bankrupt?
I heared that these missiles were pretty old (hence the long range one failing) and that it was all a cry for attention because NK is so poor and needs financial aid. Also, if NK tries to wage war on the US, China are likely to sever ties with NK (as it has done before) and stop all imports, which NK do not want. As they get majority of the electricity and gas from China.

**TheAngel** · 07-07-2006, 04:22 PM

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A war with North Korea would be horrific. We'd need to get pass the DMZ (not easy when its littered with mines and North Korean soldiers are on the other side) or go in by sea (with its own issues) or conduct an air war. I read a news story once about how there are apparently a network of bunkers that the leadership would retreat too - it'd be the people we'd be bombing.

Ugh. There is so much bad in the world it really makes you depressed sometimes.

Exactly, the problem is that if we fought an Air war with North Korea, while we could very effectively wipe them off the face of the earth, and our fly boys and girls would be very happy because they haven't been getting much combat pay in Iraq, we would be bombing innocent civilians and that type of collateral damage is horrible. While we have precision, GPS guided munitions that could be used, we'd have to find a target to shoot at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luinélwen

Would a war with NK really work? Aren't the pretty much bankrupt?
I heared that these missiles were pretty old (hence the long range one failing) and that it was all a cry for attention because NK is so poor and needs financial aid. Also, if NK tries to wage war on the US, China are likely to sever ties with NK (as it has done before) and stop all imports, which NK do not want. As they get majority of the electricity and gas from China.

I'm not willing to take the chance to see if those missiles could reach the US or not. And what about Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the dozens of other countries that could be hit by nuclear weapons. The thing is, other countries that have nukes, some of them anyway, may threaten to use them but I doubt that will ever happen. Nukes haven't been deployed since WWII despite numerous opportunities avaliable, because even though people may be pissed off at another country (Bay of Pigs, Cold War) they're intelligent enough not to use them.
North Korea, however, I don't trust Kim as far as I can toss his crazy little butt. He's an amazingly intelligent man, getting millions of people to follow him despite the fact that they starve while he sits as the banquet table, but he's a sick bugger too.

-Kelly- · 07-08-2006, 04:38 AM

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Originally Posted by Avatar

but they definately do not have the capacity to nuke Australia.

That's not what people said on our news, they said it could

Lexis · 07-08-2006, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAngel

The thing is, other countries that have nukes, some of them anyway, may threaten to use them but I doubt that will ever happen. Nukes haven't been deployed since WWII despite numerous opportunities avaliable, because even though people may be pissed off at another country (Bay of Pigs, Cold War) they're intelligent enough not to use them.

North Korea, however, I don't trust Kim as far as I can toss his crazy little butt. He's an amazingly intelligent man, getting millions of people to follow him despite the fact that they starve while he sits as the banquet table, but he's a sick bugger too.

Its the MAD principle isn't it? Mutually Assured Destruction if anyone attacks another nation with nukes.

And you are totally correct about Kim Jong Il - this is the guy that kidnapped a actress and her director husband so they could make films for him. Its really sickening.

No1important · 07-11-2006, 07:41 AM

Kim Jong is not as stupid as people think he is.

Basically he wants more aid and likes to be centre of attention. However the US has not invaded any country that has nukes, so I guess some of these regimes use it as a deterrent to the US and that madman in the White House.

The other thing is countries test missles all the time and you don't hear the screeching from washington.


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