North Korea successfully tests three short-range missiles
And has “ordered more rocket engines and warhead tips for the rogue regime’s ramped-up intercontinental ballistic missile program”
After backing down from its recent threats against Guam, North Korea has just launched its way back into the news cycle. Initial reports indicated that one or more of the tests failed; however, a revised report from our military indicates that none of the tests failed.
North Korea fired three short-range missiles on Saturday — all successful — despite earlier reports suggesting failure, according to the U.S. military.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles fired from the North’s eastern coast flew about 155 miles. It said South Korea and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launch and didn’t immediately provide more details.
According to earlier reports, U.S. Pacific Command spokesman and Cmdr. David Benham suggested two North Korean missiles “failed in flight” while the third one had “blown up almost immediately.”
The U.S. Pacific Command has since revised its evaluation of the missile launch, now reporting no missile failures — in line with the South Korean military assessment.
The tests are related to the 10-day defense exercise drills that U.S. and South Korean troops conduct each year.
Analysts said the launches appeared to be a response to the ongoing joint exercises between the United States and South Korean militaries, exercises that North Korea always strongly protests because it considers them preparation for an invasion.
Furthermore, South Korea fired three missiles of its own this week.
The White House has been informed and is keeping an eye on this situation.
“In regards to activity in North Korea tonight the President has been briefed and we are monitoring the situation,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said hours after the launches were reported.
The South Korean Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles were launched from the North’s eastern Kangwon province and flew in a northeasterly direction about 250 km (155 miles) into the sea.
Pacific Command said the missiles did not pose a threat to the U.S. mainland or to the Pacific territory of Guam, which North Korea had threatened earlier this month to surround “in a sea of fire”.
…The launch is the first by the North since it test-fired a missile on July 28 that could have been designed to reach 10,000 km (6,200 miles), putting parts of the U.S. mainland within reach.
Japan’s military said the projectiles did not appear to be objects that could threaten Japan’s safety.
However, it is likely there will be even more North Korean “tests”, as Kim has recently ordered more rocket engines and was shown diagrams of enhanced ballistic missile designs.
Kim Jong Un, placing his foot firmly back on the gas in his war of wills with the United States, reportedly ordered more rocket engines and warhead tips for the rogue regime’s ramped-up intercontinental ballistic missile program.
The state’s official KCNA news agency released the report stating the dictator ordered increased production after visiting the Chemical Material Institute of the Academy of Defense Science, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
…KCNA also unveiled photos showing disturbing diagrams hanging on the wall behind the despot during Kim Jong Un’s visit to the plant that makes the solid-fuel engines for the country’s ballistic missiles.
One showed a missile called Pukguksong-3, which appears to be the latest in the Pukguksong, or Polaris, series. The other was more difficult to discern but appeared to be in the “Hwasong,” or Mars, series.
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Comments
As long as the midget nutjob keeps this up, China has more leverage in global negotiations, especially with the US. They could even push for and perhaps get favored concessions in trade agreements. Makes me wonder if they have any role in this. Not an active role, necessarily, but a passive one. Through inaction or a wink-wink of sorts.
It is scary that our U.S. Pacific Command did not know if the missiles worked or not. How are they going to shoot them down if they think they failed in flight or failed at launch?
I’ve just seen reports that all three failed.
Maybe the fourth will fail – landing on that Dict..ator.
Time to start arming the Japanese and South Koreans with tactical nukes. The moment that happens, watch China suddenly become cooperative.
It’s time to rip Communist China apart from their moorings.
We should have Tomahawk missiled Pyongyang and his nuclear sites when we had the excuse. It would look too provocative on our part now.
While the joint US-SK military exercises may have something to do with the renewal of the test firings, remember that the DPRK is a wholly owned subsidiary of the PRC. Kim does nothing externally, and very little internally, with out the support of the PRC.
In the last two weeks, the US has launched a Section 301 investigation into Chinese trade practices. Immediately there after, Kim “rethought” his threats against the US. This week Trump lays the blame on China’s economic ally, Pakistan, for Taliban activities in Afghanistan and strengthens relations with India. And, here we are, with more missile launches. Coordinating the launches with the arrival of Harvey also lessens the chances of retaliation significantly.
Let’s all chip in so fatboy can buy an extra rocket stage, and hit D.C. with a nuke while Trump is out of town. Then destroy him.
Now THAT is a win-win.
I don’t know what her sources were but 2 of the missiles exploded when there second stage rockets engaged. The other missile blew up less than 10 kilometers from launch.