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Forums - General Discussion - North Korea launches rocket: Initial reports indicate that it failed

So they've been gearing up for this for a while.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17698438

 

North Korea launches long-range rocket

North Korea has launched a long-range rocket, according to South Korea and the United States.

The planned launch has been widely condemned by the international community, which has accused North Korea of trying to develop its military technology.

Pyongyang says that the rocket will peacefully advance its space programme.

Uncomfirmed reports from US and Japanese officials suggest the launch may have failed shortly after take-off.

Japan and South Korea have warned that they will shoot the rocket down if it enters their territory.

South Korean Defence Ministry spokesperson Kim Min-seok told reporters that the rocket has been fired at 07:39 local time (22:39 GMT).

There has so far been no word from North Korea about the launch.

Celebratory launch

The UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency session for Friday morning to discuss the launch.

The US and other countries have expressed concerns that this launch is a cover for testing a long-range ballistic missile.

But there has been no confirmation as yet of whether the rocket was launched successfully. A report on ABC News quoted a US official as saying there was a "larger than expected flare" when the rocket took off and they believe it may have failed.

The three-stage rocket was launched as part of celebrations to honour North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung, whose 100th birthday it would have been on Sunday.

The BBC'S correspondent in Seoul Lucy Williamson says this launch would have been planned for some time, most likely during the rule of Kim Jong-il who died late last year.

 

I hope it did fail.



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I hope it didn't fail.



Millenium said:
I hope it didn't fail.


How is North Korea having intercontinental ballistic missiles a good thing?



Rath said:
Millenium said:
I hope it didn't fail.


How is North Korea having intercontinental ballistic missiles a good thing?



As I'm not in the mood for some silly political discussion at this time of night, and I've promised myself to be nice, I'll just answer with one of the side reasons:

I'm hoping it didn't fail or otherwise blow up near the ground because that might have cost someone who was in the vicinity his or her life.



Yep looks like it has failed. Their last launch was a failure too. $850m that cost em plus 250,000 tons of food aid.



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Funny thing is it's been widely reported Iran bought it's ballistic missile tech from N.Korea but they've been able to put satellites into orbit. I guess they have more funding due to the oil revenues.



Millenium said:
Rath said:
Millenium said:
I hope it didn't fail.


How is North Korea having intercontinental ballistic missiles a good thing?



As I'm not in the mood for some silly political discussion at this time of night, and I've promised myself to be nice, I'll just answer with one of the side reasons:

I'm hoping it didn't fail or otherwise blow up near the ground because that might have cost someone who was in the vicinity his or her life.


Current reports are that it probably fell into the sea well short of where it was supposed to.



You gotta love North Korea. Shall we attempt to feed our citizens or shall we spend all our money on a "space program?



At the risk of sounding petty, small-minded, and vindictive, as someone who served two years in Seoul and developed a great appreciation for the Republic of Korea (South Korea), its people and the unfortunate situation of the two Koreas, my first and honest reaction to the alleged launch failure can be summed up quite simply as such: Bwa ha ha.



North Korea is quite interesting..