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North Korea fires ICBM, splashes in Sea of Japan: Pentagon

By Phil Stewart and Christine Kim

 

The North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su

 

WASHINGTON/SEOUL-29 (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that landed close to Japan on Wednesday, officials said, Pyongyang's first test launch since sending a missile over its neighbour in mid-September.

 

North Korea fired the missile a week after U.S. President Donald Trump put North Korea back on a U.S list of countries that Washington says support terrorism. The designation allows the United States to impose more sanctions, although some experts said it risked inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

 

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under its leader, Kim Jong Un, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Trump has vowed not to let North Korea develop nuclear missiles that can hit the mainland United States.

 

Of the latest test missile, Trump told reporters at the White House: "It is a situation that we will handle."

 

Trump said the launch did not change his administration's approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea, which it sees as important to deterring Pyongyang from its ambition to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States.

 

Washington has said repeatedly that all options, including military ones, are on the table in dealing with North Korea, but that it prefers a peaceful solution by Pyongyang agreeing to give up its weapons programs.

 

"Diplomatic options remain viable and open, for now.  The United States remains committed to finding a peaceful path to denuclearization and to ending belligerent actions by North Korea," U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

 

Other than carrying out existing U.N. sanctions, "the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic" travelling to North Korea, Tillerson said in a statement.

 

The United States and Japan said the early Wednesday launch appeared to be an ICBM.

 

Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning said the Pentagon's initial assessment was that an ICBM was launched from Sain Ni in North Korea and travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan. The missile did not pose a threat to the United States its territories or allies, the Pentagon said.

 

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the ICBM went "higher frankly than any previous shot they've taken".

 

Japan's government estimated that the missile flew for about 50 minutes and landed in the sea in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. A North Korean missile on Aug. 29 was airborne for 14 minutes over Japan.

 

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the missile reached an estimated altitude of 4,000 kilometres (2,485 miles) and broke up before landing in Japan's exclusive economic zone. He said it was judged to be ICBM class given its lofted trajectory.

 

"We will not give in to provocative acts and will increase pressure to the highest level," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.

 

The United States and Japan have asked for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday over the test, diplomats said.

 

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was fired from Pyongsong, a city in South Pyongan Province, at around 1817 GMT over the sea between South Korea and Japan. The South Korean military said the missile had an altitude of around 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and flew 960 km (600 miles).

 

Minutes after the North fired the missile, South Korea's military conducted a missile-firing test in response, the South Korean military said.

 

U.S. stocks briefly pared gains on the news but the S&P 500 index was up almost a percent at the close.

 

A U.S. intelligence official said the initial indication was that the engine was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong 14 which Pyongyang tested in July.

 

The Hwasong-14 is a two-stage ICBM North Korea tested twice in July. South Korean and U.S. officials and defence experts have said the Hwasong-14 may have a range of about 10,000 km (6,200 miles) and could possibly strike many parts of the United States, but not the East Coast.

 

After firing missiles at a rate of about two or three a month since April, North Korea paused its missile launches in September, after it fired a missile that passed over Japan’s northern Hokkaido island on Sept. 15.

 

Last week, North Korea denounced Trump's decision to relist it as a state sponsor of terrorism, calling it a "serious provocation and violent infringement."

 

A U.S. government source familiar with official reporting and analyses said the U.S. assessment was that the launch was the latest in a well-calculated and serious series of tests to develop and perfect North Korea missile systems rather than any response to Trump.

 

Trump has traded insults and threats with Kim and warned in September that the United States would have no choice but to "totally destroy" North Korea if forced to defend itself or its allies.

 

North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons programs and re-enter diplomatic talks, Washington's preferred course.

 

North Korea has said its weapons programs are a necessary defence against U.S. plans to invade. The United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean war, denies any such intention.

 

Harry Kazianis, director of defence studies at Washington's conservative Center for the National Interest, said he thought North Korea might hold off on missile testing until about the time of the Winter Olympics, which South Korea is hosting next February.

 

"I am surprised, but not shocked," he said. "North Korea tested two missiles in the fourth quarter last year and will have to continue to test its missile capabilities for years to come if it wants a nuclear deterrent that can hit the U.S."

 

(Reporting by Christine Kim in Seoul, Linda Sieg, William Mallard, Timothy Kelly in Tokyo, Mark Hosenball, John Walcott, Steve Holland and Tim Ahmann in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Writing by Yara Bayoumy and David Brunnstrom; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-29

[ezzra]

President Clinton offered N. Korea carrots, president Bush came on hard with sticks, Barack Obama set on the fence not offering carrots  nor sticks, now Trump found himself having to clean up and deal with the young snake,  some culture advocate to do away with young snakes while they're still little, i wonder to what school of thought and actions Trump subscribes to....

 

[Somtamnication]

Well, according to news reports and late night shows, Trump has small hands. Here's hoping one of those little fingers presses a red button on the NK!

[Get Real]

I guess the people of Japan is salubrating now. Must be nice to have such a jerk in their region and not a country do anything about it.

[craigt3365]

22 minutes ago, Get Real said:

I guess the people of Japan is salubrating now. Must be nice to have such a jerk in their region and not a country do anything about it.

Sadly, they are trying to do something about it. They are working on increasing their military. And South Korea is talking about getting their own nukes.

[zydeco]

20 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Sadly, they are trying to do something about it. They are working on increasing their military. And South Korea is talking about getting their own nukes.

As well they should. China certainly has done nothing to restrain their ally, North Korea. Self defense is part of the answer. The rest of the answer is a coordinated economic and political assault against China. Boycott their goods, erect tariffs, and punish other countries  with trade sanctions who are sitting on the fence or tilting towards China.

[hawker9000]

'Time to start taking out launch sites when these tests occur.   If you think that sounds hard core, just wait until fatboy finally gets his EMP bomb.  Putting half (or even the entire) U.S. power grid out-of-commission with a single high-altitude detonation, and it's going to be awfully hard to NOT retaliate with nukes, at which point you'll have your full-on global nuclear conflict looming.

 

Pay now or pay later...    The ante just keeps going higher.

 

[Thaidream]

Many people advocating and looking for a fight- but they won't be in it- they will be sitting at home pounding their computer.  Negotiation is the only way- unless NKorea actually attacks the US or its Allies. Trump and his warmongers need to shut up.

[hawker9000]

5 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Many people advocating and looking for a fight- but they won't be in it- they will be sitting at home pounding their computer.  Negotiation is the only way- unless NKorea actually attacks the US or its Allies. Trump and his warmongers need to shut up.

Fatboy and his thug-loving sympathizers need to shut up.

 

[Thaidream]

Yes, hey both need to keep quiet but someone has to stop first. Since Trump consistently states American can wipe NKorea off the planet how about Trump taking the high road and keep his mouth quiet. Trump is as worthless as a three dollar bill- he has no concept of geopolitical affairs nor even how to talk to ordinary people.

[IAMHERE]

Talking loud is part of negotiations. A better ploy would be to let  South Korea and Japan build their own nuclear weapons. China is not going to negotiate in good faith as long as Japan and South Korea have muzzles on.

Edited November 29, 2017 by IAMHERE
spelling

[Get Real]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Sadly, they are trying to do something about it. They are working on increasing their military. And South Korea is talking about getting their own nukes.

I know! The way of thinking is unbelievable. Fight nukes with nukes...What a brilliant idea! 

[punchjudy]

They only want the Yanks to backoff

[overherebc]

What if one these ICBM's goes wrong in flight?

They fired one that went over Japan before falling in the sea I believe.

What will be the outcome of a drop short if it hits Japan?

For me that's the scary bit.

[Thaidream]

Nuclear proliferation is not the way- the more countries that have nuclear weapons -the more chances one can fall into the hands of a terror group.Negotiations to lower the level or all armaments is the goal.

[Srikcir]

"America could “go to war” against North Korea in the face of the country’s continued aggression," says Senator Lindsey Graham a longstanding Republican hawk who serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense in response to North Korea's latest missile launch.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/north-korea-latest-trump-war-kim-jong-un-lindsey-graham-us-a8081346.html

South Koreans in Seoul might want to start planning an extended vacation for next year in a safer country.

[Ron19]

An off topic post has been deleted.

[retarius]

The more I think about the NPT the more concerned I become. NPT was introduced and signed up to by many nations......but the nuclear powers were supposed to reduce their arsenals down to zero to rid the world of nukes. Obviously that didn't happen and the signatories to NPT have ended up being bullied, regime changed and the like. If I were leader of a small country, not aligned with NATO, I would want a nuclear deterrent as it is the cheapest, most effective deterrent available, and my country would be fully independent. Nations that voluntarily abandoned their programs had their leaders killed (Saddam and Gadhaffi). Iran has abandoned its program but the talk of war hasn't finished and neither have the sanctions.....while countries like Israel, Pakistan and India have developed their weapons independently and suffer no sanctions.Perhaps we should abandon the NPT and let all countries who want them to build their own deterrents.

[Thaidream]

Just what we need -nuclear weapons in the hands of the Palestinians; Syria; Somalia; congo- the list goes on- so some despotic leader aka Mr. Kim can become more and more bellicose and threaten his neighbors and the World.   The goal is for all countries that have them to decrease their stockpile and  for those countries that don't have them to be stopped from developing them. The technology is not cheap- even the N Korean military that gets the most food rations in the country are beset with intestinal issues as their food supply is contaminated. All the income goes to the NKorea nuclear and missile programs.

[Srikcir]

8 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

All the income goes to the NKorea nuclear and missile programs.

Surely Jung-On Kim gets a split.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/north-korea/articles/Inside-the-luxury-world-of-Kim-Jong-un/

 

[DLang]

The US has nukes that can hit NK.

 

Only fair for NK to have nukes that can hit the US. 

Edited November 29, 2017 by DLang

[Morch]

1 hour ago, retarius said:

The more I think about the NPT the more concerned I become. NPT was introduced and signed up to by many nations......but the nuclear powers were supposed to reduce their arsenals down to zero to rid the world of nukes. Obviously that didn't happen and the signatories to NPT have ended up being bullied, regime changed and the like. If I were leader of a small country, not aligned with NATO, I would want a nuclear deterrent as it is the cheapest, most effective deterrent available, and my country would be fully independent. Nations that voluntarily abandoned their programs had their leaders killed (Saddam and Gadhaffi). Iran has abandoned its program but the talk of war hasn't finished and neither have the sanctions.....while countries like Israel, Pakistan and India have developed their weapons independently and suffer no sanctions.Perhaps we should abandon the NPT and let all countries who want them to build their own deterrents.

 

Poster is "concerned" about lack of nuclear weapon disarmament, suggests mass proliferation of nuclear weapons as solution. Yeah....that would work out just fine.

[Morch]

9 minutes ago, DLang said:

The US has nukes that can hit NK.

 

Only fair for NK to have nukes that can hit the US. 

 

What does "fair" got to do with anything?

[Thaidream]

The US has for a long time nuclear weapons that can strike any country on Earth and so does the UK; France; Russia and  China.  The goal is to stop other countries from getting nuclear weapons lest these weapons fall into the hands of a terror group.  I surely don't want ISIS to get ahold of a nuclear bomb that could be carried in a small container and set off in New York while the terrorist yells- 'God is Great'  and kills 1 million people and destroys the World's economy .

[Srikcir]

4 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

What does "fair" got to do with anything?

Yes, if one wants to talk "fair," then it would have been fair to let MacArthur to hit North Korea with nuclear bombs as well as contain China from entering the war. Instead now the world is facing a global nuclear exchange. Is that fair?

[DLang]

17 minutes ago, Morch said:

What does "fair" got to do with anything?

NK should be able to freely develop their nuclear arsenal to be equal to all those that are talking about annihilating them.

 

Fair is fair. 

 

 

You might be more into big brother bullying though. 

 

[DLang]

4 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Instead now the world is facing a global nuclear exchange. Is that fair?

 

No it's not.

 

The US should have stayed in their part of the World and minded their own business.  Something difficult for them to do when there are trillions to be pocketed by the arm's and military industry though. Must be a war out there somewhere we can get involved in!!

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by DLang

[Morch]

5 minutes ago, DLang said:

NK should be able to freely develop their nuclear arsenal to be equal to all those that are talking about annihilating them.

 

Fair is fair. 

 

 

You might be more into big brother bullying though. 

 

 

Says who?

 

Despite some poster's imagination, World affairs do not always run according to their notion of "fair".

 

And do spare me the misplaced moralizing. I'll take less nuclear weapons and supposed "bullying", over proliferation and increased chances for an actual nuclear war, whether by design or accident.

[sanemax]

18 minutes ago, DLang said:

NK should be able to freely develop their nuclear arsenal to be equal to all those that are talking about annihilating them.

 

Fair is fair. 

 

 

You might be more into big brother bullying though. 

 

Although nobody it talking or wanting to "annihilate" NK

The only issue is NK obtaining Nuclear weapons .

IF NK would stop trying to develop nukes, the whole world would just ignore them

[Grouse]

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

Although nobody it talking or wanting to "annihilate" NK

The only issue is NK obtaining Nuclear weapons .

IF NK would stop trying to develop nukes, the whole world would just ignore them

They've got them

 

They've got ICBMs

 

You want to wait further?

 

I really think a sharp lesson is required.

 

Splash a Trident warhead (unarmed) just offshore.

 

Then conventional cruise strikes on all launch facilities.

 

If Trump doesn't have the balls, The British will do it for you.