North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests. The country labeled by US President Bush as a link in the “axis of evil” launched long-range Taepodong-2 missile that is capable of hitting US-located targets. The launched missiles fell down on the territory which is closer to Russia than to Japan. The Japanese Defense Administration registered six launches.
 |
|
|
 |
| Taepodong-2 missile |
|
|
|
|
 BREAKING NEWS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Specialists believe that technical malfunctions occurred with each of the launched missiles during the 40th second of their flight. They all fell down in the north-western part of the Sea of Japan. The missiles went down to the sea floor inside Russia’s 200-mile economic area. One of the missiles hit the sea surface only several dozens of kilometers far from the town of Nakhodka, the Far East of Russia.
The first launch was performed at 03.30 a.m. Tuesday. The second one followed 30 minutes later, the third missile blasted off in an hour, the fifth – at 07.10 a.m. and the sixth – at 08.20 a.m.
All the six missiles covered the distance of about 500 kilometers and fell down ten minutes after the launch, Itar-Tass reports. According to the Japanese Defense Administration, the first, the fourth and the fifth missiles were classified as short-range Scud rockets. The second and the sixth were Nodon ballistic missiles (up to 1,300 km), whereas the third one was the two-stage Taepodong-2 rocket.
The flight of the third missile was the longest. It was launched at about 05:00 a.m. and fell down ten minutes later 250 kilometers south-east off the Russian city of Vladivostok. It was reported earlier, though, that the missile could easily reach USA’s Alaska.
Spokespeople for the North Korean leadership confirmed the fact of the missile tests. An official from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the country said that it was a national sovereignty question. The statement was made during a conversation with Japanese journalists in Pyongyang.
In the meantime, the Command of the Russian Pacific Navy is not going to comment on the North Korean missile tests.
A spokesman for the administration of the South Korean president said that the launch of the Taepodong-2 rocket was considered a failure. The official said that the North Korean administration made an unwise decision to conduct the tests and urged Pyongyang to resume the talks aimed at the solution of the North Korean nuclear problem.
Join Pravda.ru forum to experience freedom of speech
Iran to Enrich Uranium Despite Global Opposition
Forum
Source: 
