Related News
N. Korea launches rocket, first stage falls into Yellow Sea
Source: Xinhua |
December 12, 2012, Wednesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired off a long-range rocket mounted with a satellite today, defying expectations that technical problems might delay the mission that drew international attention.
The move comes after the South Korean authorities said the DPRK seems to have removed the three-stage rocket form the launch pad in an apparent attempt to fix technical problems Pyongyang cited when it extended the launch window by one week until Dec. 29.
The first stage of the rocket fell in the Yellow Sea off Byeonsan-bando in South Korea's North Jeolla Province, according to Yonhap News Agency. The Japanese government also said the rocket passed the southern island chain of Okinawa at around 10:01 a.m. local time and fell in waters off the Philippines shortly afterwards.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened the National Security Council meeting immediately after the launch, and intelligence authorities here are reportedly in consultations with their US and Japanese counterparts to track the rocket.
Today's move marks the DPRK's second bid of the year to put a satellite into orbit, which the United States and its key Asian allies call a disguised ballistic missile test. South Korea has expressed "grave concern" over the plan, and Japan had pledged to shoot down the rocket if it threatens its territory.
Pyongyang, whose previous mission in April ended in failure, has countered that its "polar-orbiting earth observation satellite" is for peaceful scientific purposes only.
The move comes after the South Korean authorities said the DPRK seems to have removed the three-stage rocket form the launch pad in an apparent attempt to fix technical problems Pyongyang cited when it extended the launch window by one week until Dec. 29.
The first stage of the rocket fell in the Yellow Sea off Byeonsan-bando in South Korea's North Jeolla Province, according to Yonhap News Agency. The Japanese government also said the rocket passed the southern island chain of Okinawa at around 10:01 a.m. local time and fell in waters off the Philippines shortly afterwards.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened the National Security Council meeting immediately after the launch, and intelligence authorities here are reportedly in consultations with their US and Japanese counterparts to track the rocket.
Today's move marks the DPRK's second bid of the year to put a satellite into orbit, which the United States and its key Asian allies call a disguised ballistic missile test. South Korea has expressed "grave concern" over the plan, and Japan had pledged to shoot down the rocket if it threatens its territory.
Pyongyang, whose previous mission in April ended in failure, has countered that its "polar-orbiting earth observation satellite" is for peaceful scientific purposes only.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
