| South Korea is not commenting on North | | | | |
| Korea's reported launch of two short-range | | | | In U.S. Senate testimony this week, the |
| missiles this week. South Korean media | | | | Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, General |
| reports cite anonymous officials who confirm | | | | Burwell Bell, warned North Korea has 200 |
| the launch took place, but say it was part of | | | | mid-range missiles capable of reaching Japan. |
| ordinary drills. | | | | He said Pyongyang might have long-range |
| | | | missiles capable of reaching the continental |
| The South Korean government kept quiet | | | | U.S. within the decade. |
| Thursday about media reports of a North | | | | |
| Korean missile launch this week. | | | | The timing or purpose of this week's reported |
| | | | North Korean launch is not clear. |
| South Korean media quote unnamed officials as | | | | |
| saying North Korea launched two short-range | | | | But Kim Dae-woo - an analyst at Seoul's Korea |
| missiles Wednesday morning local time near | | | | Institute for Defense Analyses - says it was |
| its border with China. It is not clear if the | | | | probably just part of regularly scheduled |
| launch was a test or a mistake. | | | | short-range missile drills. |
| | | | |
| South Korea - which has a policy of engaging | | | | "Even North Koreans themselves will believe |
| the communist North as a way to better | | | | that [this] is a minor thing and nobody will |
| relations - is hesitant to publicly criticize | | | | think it serious," said Kim. "If North Korea |
| Pyongyang. | | | | tested a large-size [long range] missile, |
| | | | that could be interpreted differently." |
| But the reports drew a quick response from | | | | |
| Washington. U.S. State Department Spokesman | | | | Kim says he and his colleagues are more |
| Sean McCormack said the reported launches are | | | | concerned about newly emerging reports that |
| a source of concern. | | | | North Korea may be selling long-range missile |
| | | | technology to Iran - which is also embroiled |
| "North Korea's missile program and activities | | | | in a dispute with the international community |
| are a threat, not only to the region, but the | | | | over its nuclear programs. |
| international community at large," he said. | | | | |
| "We are working with our friends and allies | | | | "That development could be really serious," |
| in the region on deployment of active missile | | | | added Kim. "That could prompt a response from |
| defenses." | | | | the U.S. If that is true, it is a really |
| | | | serious development." |
| North Korea test-fired a long-range missile | | | | |
| over Japan in 1998 - alarming the | | | | This week's reported launch comes within 24 |
| international community. But Pyongyang has | | | | hours of Pyongyang's latest announcement that |
| not conducted any medium- and long-range | | | | it will not return to multinational talks |
| missile tests since. North Korea is also | | | | aimed at ending its nuclear weapons programs. |
| believed to be one of the world's largest | | | | Three years of negotiations have not produced |
| exporters of missile technology. | | | | any progress on the issue. |