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North Korea Fires 2nd Missile After Earlier Test Fails North Korea Fires 2nd Missile After Earlier Test Fails
(35 minutes later)
SEOUL, South Korea — After five consecutive failures, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Wednesday, advancing its efforts to extend its striking range to target American military bases in the Pacific.SEOUL, South Korea — After five consecutive failures, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Wednesday, advancing its efforts to extend its striking range to target American military bases in the Pacific.
The projectile, a Musudan missile, took off from Wonsan, a port city east of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 250 miles before crashing into the sea between North Korea and Japan, South Korea’s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.The projectile, a Musudan missile, took off from Wonsan, a port city east of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 250 miles before crashing into the sea between North Korea and Japan, South Korea’s Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
Although the missile fell far short of its estimated full range of more than 2,000 miles, the test was the only one of the Musudan that the United States or South Korea did not immediately dismiss as a failure.Although the missile fell far short of its estimated full range of more than 2,000 miles, the test was the only one of the Musudan that the United States or South Korea did not immediately dismiss as a failure.
South Korea said that the North’s previous five Musudan tests — the fifth took place earlier Wednesday — had all failed, with the projectiles crashing into the sea or exploding midair soon after liftoff.South Korea said that the North’s previous five Musudan tests — the fifth took place earlier Wednesday — had all failed, with the projectiles crashing into the sea or exploding midair soon after liftoff.
The advance the North showed with its sixth test was disconcerting enough for South Korea to convene a meeting of top security-related ministers on Wednesday to discuss the growing missile and nuclear threats.The advance the North showed with its sixth test was disconcerting enough for South Korea to convene a meeting of top security-related ministers on Wednesday to discuss the growing missile and nuclear threats.
Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman for the South Korean government, called the launch a “clear provocation” that violated United Nations Security Council resolutions banning the North from developing ballistic missile technology.Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman for the South Korean government, called the launch a “clear provocation” that violated United Nations Security Council resolutions banning the North from developing ballistic missile technology.
In Washington, John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, said that the United States strongly condemned the tests and intended to discuss the North’s prohibited activities at the Security Council.In Washington, John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, said that the United States strongly condemned the tests and intended to discuss the North’s prohibited activities at the Security Council.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said that the tests were “utterly unforgivable,” according to The Associated Press.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said that the tests were “utterly unforgivable,” according to The Associated Press.
South Korea did not immediately classify the sixth launch as a success or failure, saying it was still analyzing the test. Officials were also trying to determine whether the North had deliberately shortened the missile’s flight in order not to provoke Japan, the South Korean national news agency Yonhap reported.South Korea did not immediately classify the sixth launch as a success or failure, saying it was still analyzing the test. Officials were also trying to determine whether the North had deliberately shortened the missile’s flight in order not to provoke Japan, the South Korean national news agency Yonhap reported.
When North Korea fired its midrange Rodong missile from an inland launch site toward the sea off its east coast in March, the missile flew 500 miles, less than its normal range of 620 to 810 miles.When North Korea fired its midrange Rodong missile from an inland launch site toward the sea off its east coast in March, the missile flew 500 miles, less than its normal range of 620 to 810 miles.
Kim Dong-yup, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said that North Korea was launching the Musudan to test its ability to build a nuclear warhead that could survive the extreme heat and friction that it would encounter crashing through the earth’s atmosphere from a high altitude. The North has been struggling to master the so-called warhead re-entry technology needed to build an intercontinental ballistic missile.
“I don’t believe North Korea failed again and again in testing the Musudan itself, which it had deployed 10 years ago,” Mr. Kim said. “What it has been trying to do with such difficulty was to use the Musudan as a vehicle to test the re-entry and detonation system for an I.C.B.M.,” he added, referring to an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The United States Strategic Command said that the two Musudan missiles fired on Wednesday posed no threat to North America.The United States Strategic Command said that the two Musudan missiles fired on Wednesday posed no threat to North America.
But North Korea’s persistence in testing the same missile six times since mid-April showed that it was determined to build a capacity to launch a ballistic missile that would extend its striking range.But North Korea’s persistence in testing the same missile six times since mid-April showed that it was determined to build a capacity to launch a ballistic missile that would extend its striking range.
The North has successfully tested its short-range Scud and midrange Rodong missiles. The Rodong can reach all of South Korea and most of Japan. But the road-mobile Musudan is the North’s only intermediate-range ballistic missile with a range long enough to reach United States military bases in Guam, a major launching pad for American reinforcements should a war break out on the Korean Peninsula.The North has successfully tested its short-range Scud and midrange Rodong missiles. The Rodong can reach all of South Korea and most of Japan. But the road-mobile Musudan is the North’s only intermediate-range ballistic missile with a range long enough to reach United States military bases in Guam, a major launching pad for American reinforcements should a war break out on the Korean Peninsula.
The North began testing the Musudan on April 15, after repeated calls by its leader, Kim Jong-un, for his military to conduct more nuclear and missile tests despite international sanctions.The North began testing the Musudan on April 15, after repeated calls by its leader, Kim Jong-un, for his military to conduct more nuclear and missile tests despite international sanctions.
North Korea’s missiles have seldom worked on the first try, but a string of five successive failures with the Musudan was unusual even by the country’s checkered standards. Analysts have attributed the failures to Mr. Kim. In his rush to demonstrate an ability to strike American military bases in Guam with nuclear and chemical weapons, Mr. Kim was not giving his engineers enough time to fix the problems before again testing the Musudan, the analysts said.North Korea’s missiles have seldom worked on the first try, but a string of five successive failures with the Musudan was unusual even by the country’s checkered standards. Analysts have attributed the failures to Mr. Kim. In his rush to demonstrate an ability to strike American military bases in Guam with nuclear and chemical weapons, Mr. Kim was not giving his engineers enough time to fix the problems before again testing the Musudan, the analysts said.
North Korea has repeatedly threatened nuclear strikes against the United States, claiming that it has built nuclear weapons small enough to be mounted on its various ballistic missiles.North Korea has repeatedly threatened nuclear strikes against the United States, claiming that it has built nuclear weapons small enough to be mounted on its various ballistic missiles.
But the country has never carried out a successful test flight of a long-range missile that could reach the continental United States.But the country has never carried out a successful test flight of a long-range missile that could reach the continental United States.