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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| North Korea set to test new missile engines |
| 2004-05-06 |
| SEOUL -- North Korea is set to test engines for a new ballistic missile with a range of up to 6,000 kilometers (3,600 miles) capable of hitting US territory, a newspaper reported here Thursday. The Stalinist country has restored facilities for missile engine testing destroyed by an explosion in December 2002, the JoongAng newspaper said, citing South Korean diplomatic and defense sources. The range would bring Hawaii, Alaska and the western fringes of the United States within the missile’s scope. Not for too long, though. The United States has accused North Korea of being a leading global proliferator of weapons of mass destruction. But the cash-strapped country has refused to stop missile exports, a major source of hard currency earnings. The United States and South Korea stepped up surveillance of the test site following intelligence reports that North Korea was resuming development of Taepodong-2 missiles, the newspaper said. Pyongyang stunned the world in August 1998 by test-launching over Japan a Taepodong-1 missile with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers, claiming it was a satellite launch. A 30-meter (33-foot) launching pad was restored late last year in the Musudan missile complex in North Hangyong province, JoongAng said. The Taepodong-2 missiles use Chinese liquid fuel engines as a first stage rocket and a Rodong missile as a second stage, it said. Thanks, China. We’ll remember this. "We have confirmed that they have moved the crane that would hoist the oxidizer -- the liquid fuel of the missile -- and the rocket," an unnamed official was quoted as saying. He said North Korea was pushing ahead with its missile development to increase its negotiating leverage with the United States. Kim’s gonna lever himself right into coffin corner. US and South Korean intelligence have determined the capability and range of a missile by measuring the flame of its rocket when North Korea undertakes engine combustion testing, the newspaper said. North Korea has already deployed short-range Scuds and Rodongs with a range of 1,300 kilometers, while actively developing longer-range missiles. US intelligence reports say North Korea has developed ballistic missiles with a range of up to 4,000 kilometers. And that’s 3,999 kilometers too many. South Korea’s defense ministry estimates North Korea has about 600 Scuds and 100 Rodong missiles. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher urged the impoverished country to stop selling arms overseas and put economic energies into helping its people. "North Korea has been a problem in terms of proliferation ... We don’t think it’s right for North Korea to become a source of proliferation and, therefore, a danger to the rest of the world," he said at a press briefing Wednesday. Someone needs to tell Kim that the biggest danger is to themselves. The comment followed a claim by North Korea’s number two, Kim Yong-Nam, that Pyongyang is "entitled to sell missiles to earn foreign exchange." And we’re entitled to starve your sorry @ss into submission. Kim, however, ruled out exports of nuclear technology or material, the London-based Financial Times said Tuesday, adding his remarks were made in an interview with Selig Harrison, a US expert on North Korea. "We’ll continue our very strong nonproliferation policies because that is dangerous -- proliferation is a danger to us all," Boucher said. How about we just "rule out" Kim instead? Pyongyang sold 60 million dollars’ worth of missiles and parts to Iraq, Iran, Syria and Yemen in 2002, according to South Korean defense data. Tell ya what, Kim. That’s 60 million dollars you’re just gonna have to do without. It’s time to close up your homebrew fireworks stand before some irate neighbor lobs in a few torches. Wouldn’t want that to happen, now would you? Guess no one learned a d@mned thing from that little train accident. Maybe it’s time for a string of catastrophic boost phase launch failures. Looks like a great chance to test our flight based laser platforms. Here’s a little peek at a fusion application laser diode slab (scroll down to Figure #3). Methinks this may be similar to what they might use for optical DEWs. |
| Posted by:Zenster |