North Korea test-launched the six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong, in an early morning barrage Wednesday, violating its own seven-year moratorium on such launches and defying stern international warnings of retaliation.
The missiles apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan. The ITAR-Tass news agency reported from Tokyo that one fell about 250 kilometers (150 miles) from Russia's Pacific port of Vladivostok.
U.S. officials said the long-range Taepodong-2 failed shortly after being launched, calling into question the technological capability of North Korea's feared ballistic missile program. Pyongyang last fired a long-range missile in 1998.
But the audacious military exercise drew immediate, international condemnation. The White House called it a "provocation," while Japan prompted a U.N. Security Council meeting that will take place Wednesday and warned of economic sanctions against the impoverished, communist country, the AP reports.
Subscribe to Pravda.Ru Telegram channel, Facebook, RSS!
Error page url:
Text containing error:
Your comment: