Breaking News - NK Launches Missile

[Hyndon]

SEOUL, South Korea — BREAKING NEWS - South Korea's presidential office has confirmed North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket launch from its east coast base.

The Blue House says liftoff took place at 11: 30 a.m. (0230GMT) Sunday morning from the coastal Musudan-ri launch pad in northeastern North Korea.

Japanese broadcaster NHK cites the Japanese government as saying the rocket flew over Japan. It said there were no reports of any debris falling on Japan.

North Korea pushed ahead with the launch despite mounting international pressure to cancel a liftoff. Obama warned Friday would be a "provocative" act.

South Korea, the U.S. and Japan said earlier in the week they would take North Korea to the U.N. Security Council.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512583,00.html

Never noticed this before...But why doesn't OnRPG forums have a off-topic section or something along those lines?

[Pok]

That's really scary (especially for Japan), makes me wonder how people could have believed Bush's whole WMD for Iraq thing but completely ignored NK.

Sticky situation with China too though... No WW3 please.


Edit: Someone else want to cite a source that isn't Faux News?

[Hyndon]

Ehh I know Fox News isn't the best but it had the longest article about it.

Here's CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapc...ket/index.html

Here's a picture:

[Gaika]

It was on the news yesterday.

[slyyger]

Interesting. I hadn't heard about it either. Don't know how I missed it.

Never noticed this before...But why doesn't OnRPG forums have a off-topic section or something along those lines?

An interesting idea though. "breaking news" have always been common thread topics here in general. It might be interesting to have a board dedicated to news stories. Possibly with a customizable RSS News feed to give topic starters. Why not suggest it here: Suggestions and Feedback

[cinderboy]

North Korea kept insisting its a satellite, not a rocket or missile... hmn...

Still no official news, all are just claims so far~

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7982874.stm

Notice the close and open inverted commas...

even if North Korea launches, Japan will always have its Gundams to protect it... Where's Celestial Being ?

[Hyndon]

It was on the news yesterday.

What was? If your talking about the missile/satellite in general, yes it's been talked about for a while now. If your talking about the missile being launched then it just happened not long ago.

[Gaika]

By yesterday, I meant exactly 12 hours ago. The launch was around that time, anyway.

[Hyndon]

By yesterday, I meant exactly 12 hours ago. The launch was around that time, anyway.

Um..Rofl? I don't know where your getting your news from. Every site I've read has shown it just launched off. It's currently Sunday in NK (It's 11: 30PM EST right now in US)

The rocket blasted off just before midday on Sunday from the Musudan-ri launch pad in the north-east of North Korea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7982874.stm

BREAKING NEWS — North Korea defiantly carried out a provocative rocket launch Sunday that the U.S., Japan and other nations suspect was a cover for a test of its long-range missile technology.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512583,00.html

[Norrin Radd]

Japan never shot it down, so they don't necessarily have anything to fear.

Russia are on the alert, nobody else really needs to be. They haven't got the capacity to start anything, nor would they.

It'll result in sabre rattling and then it'll die down.

[Pok]

I don't think NK would attack, but knowing they can attack and having it so others can't pre-emptively attack them (Big brother China), is kind of scary.

If they did attack it could spark a really big war that no one needs.

[slyyger]

It'll result in sabre rattling and then it'll die down.

**edit**

I'm with Norrin on this. North Korea isn't going to launch at someone. If they did, there wouldn't be a North Korea for very long. No one has anything to gain from creating active hostility over this.

[Fortify]

I also agree that North Korea would be stupid to do anything... but they have made very rash moves in the past.

Also, I finished re-reading Watchmen not more than 2 days ago, so I may be just a little paranoid about a whole WWIII idea.

[Chaotix]

Where's Celestial Being ?

Jupiter.

FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUU-

[Bekk]

**edit**

I'm with Norrin on this. North Korea isn't going to launch at someone. If they did, there wouldn't be a North Korea for very long. No one has anything to gain from creating active hostility over this.

Vietnam. I can see North Korea doing something crazy, such as attacking another country. Although, that's not too far out there. It will just be another Vietnam, really. Nations will stick their noses where they don't belong.

[Torian]

"About an hour into the launch window, government authorities in Japan announced they had detected the launch. But just a few minutes later, they said it was a mistake and issued an apology."

[slyyger]

Vietnam. I can see North Korea doing something crazy, such as attacking another country. Although, that's not too far out there. It will just be another Vietnam, really. Nations will stick their noses where they don't belong.

I don't follow where the Vietnam war comes into this.

[Sahat]

So.. wait it didn't fly over Japan? o_o

[zipykido]

The point of having a long ranged weapon and a wmd is to be a deterrent. NK would be wiped off the face of the globe it actually used a wmd.

[autophobe]

This is the end.

The end, my friend.



or maybe Korean War: The Sequel?


Let us hope not.

[shadowsworn]

I'm not too troubled about this.

[Norrin Radd]

Why are people talking about W.W.III?

Seriously? Chill.

[Croﮎﮎ]

Why are people talking about W.W.III?

Seriously? Chill.

North Korea makes everyone shit bricks.

[SorenEmblem]

even if North Korea launches, Japan will always have its Gundams to protect it...

I lol'd.


10char

[hian]

anyways, you guys saying things about japan, japan can't maintain an army, navy or air force since WW2, a lot of US troops are stationed at okinawa etc, we would be fighting japans war if NK decided to hit the japs. anyways, NK is going to start WW3, russia will team up with venezuela and cuba + NK and everyone else will just wipe the floor with them.

This is partly incorrect. Although japan is not allowed to "keep an army", that's a bit of a paradox. The paragraph prevents them from keeping an army as in an "attack force" and prevents them from taking military action unless first attacked.

However, the japanese do have their own "army", the japanese self defence force(JSDF). Some years back it was ranked number 4 in the world on military expenditure, toped only by the U.S, the U.K, France and Russia. Today, they are still ranked number 6(North Korea ranked below).

Although their standing army is smaller than North Korea's, their equipment is far more sofisticated and up to date.

There is also forces both in japan and the U.S pushing for a renewal and change of the military paragraph so that japan will once again be allowed an army in the same sense as everyone else. This is not likely to happen anytime soon due to the average japanese persons strong anti-war sentiments, but with pressure like this from North Korea, we might see a change in that.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyways, I think this is going to blow over without much hassle. This is not the first time NK has tested missiles by firing them into japanese territory. Knowing the state of that country, and the world as it is now, I don't think this will go anywhere, especially in regards to open warfare.
Sanctions, whatever, in the end, NK will chicken out and calm down. Then they'll probably brush their feathers some more later, and get sanctioned again. NK has nothing to gain, and everything to lose from a war. Similarly, I don't think anyone of the functional countries around the world would want a senseless war to take place just because a backwater shithole has an inferiority complex.