This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36593321
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
North Korea 'tests banned missiles' | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Reports from South Korea say the North has tested two banned missiles, with the first launch ending in failure. | |
South Korean military officials say the two rockets are both powerful, intermediate-range Musudans. | |
Four other missiles tested in the last two months are reported to have either exploded mid-air or crashed. | Four other missiles tested in the last two months are reported to have either exploded mid-air or crashed. |
North Korea, which is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, is banned by UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology. | North Korea, which is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, is banned by UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology. |
The fate of the second missile tested was not immediately clear. | |
The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, condemned North Korea's missile testing as intolerable. | |
Surrounding countries had detected preparations for a launch in the past few days and warned that it was about to happen. | Surrounding countries had detected preparations for a launch in the past few days and warned that it was about to happen. |
The Musudan has a reported range of 3,000km (1,800 miles) - enough for it to hit South Korea, Japan and the US base of Guam. | The Musudan has a reported range of 3,000km (1,800 miles) - enough for it to hit South Korea, Japan and the US base of Guam. |
North Korea is thought to have about 50 of them, the BBC's Korea correspondent, Steve Evans, reports. | |
North Korea's opponents had watched with trepidation as the first missile was truck moved into a launching position. | |
Japan said it would shoot down a missile if its trajectory was over the country. | |
The failure of the first missile illustrates the technological difficulties North Korea faces as it develops a nuclear arsenal and the means to attack distant targets, our correspondent says. | |
Repeated testing also illustrates a determination to succeed, he adds. | Repeated testing also illustrates a determination to succeed, he adds. |