CNN reports that North Korea test-fired at least three five six missiles earlier today, but the device was not the intercontinental missile being monitored by the United States (update) including an intercontinental missile being monitored by the US.
North Korea launched a long-range Taepodong-2 missile early Wednesday in an apparently unsuccessful test that failed in flight, a senior State Department official said. North Korea also tested at least two smaller missiles, U.S. sources told CNN.
Both missiles were launched from a site other than the one intelligence officials have watched for weeks ahead of the long-range missile test, a senior State Department official said. The United States, Japan and other countries have warned North Korea against a long-range missile test, saying such a move would be considered a provocation.
Link to CNN's report, here is a Reuters item with technical details on the missiles believed to have been fired.
Just yesterday, North Korean state-run news daily Rodong Sinmun quoted a government "analyst" as saying the country would respond to any pre-emptive US military action with "a relentless annihilating strike and a nuclear war with a mighty nuclear deterrent." Here is the source article in Rodong Sinmun.
Here's Wikipedia's entry about Rodong Sinmun, and you can read the daily publication online at a Japan-hosted "Korea News Service" website: Korean, English/Spanish. (Thanks, Joseph)
Wonder if the hands on the Doomsday Clock will move anytime soon.
Reader comment: Lee Colleton says,
Reported by our media as "an apparently unsuccessful test that failed in flight". Reported by North Korean news as a success, no doubt. Which was it? I'm hoping it was the former but Mr. Bartlett from Maryland testified before the house on June 9, 2005 that "superatmospheric detonation of a nuclear weapon" would "shut down your power grid and your communications for 6 months". Cryptome.org text link. Wikipedia has pretty pictures of EMP blast dispersal patterns from various altitudes: Link.
anonymous says,
North Korea launched a seventh missile today, and some experts predict more will follow. Link
Sean Bonner observes that Rodong Sinmun's English-language internet edition doesn't have an RSS feed. Given present circumstances, Sean plans to read this news site daily, and would really prefer to do so via RSS. Hrrmph. Here's his email to customer support:
Dear North Korea-
Please join us in the year 2006 by adding RSS feeds to your crazy ass state run news source.
Best,
Sean
b. says,
A link to a post on LifeHacker about a service that create RSS feed for feedless site (a couple of more sites were suggested as well in the comments).
