U.S. claims North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile, Not Rocket Distance

Washington, Today, North Korean authorities (North Korea) fails to launch long-range rocket Unha-3 is planned to carry satellites into orbit. However, the United States (U.S.) remains adamant that it was launched by North Korea Taepodong-2 ballistic missile, not a long-range rocket.

Parties to the North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) and the Northern Territory of the U.S. military command detects a ballistic missile launch by North Korea to the south across the Yellow Sea. Ballistic missile that exploded and crashed in the Yellow Sea region.

"We detect and track a missile launch North Korea's Taepodong-2 at 18:39 am (U.S. time)," a statement from NORAD as reported by AFP on Friday (13/04/2012).

"Early indications are that the first phase, the missile fell in the sea as far as 165 km west of Seoul, South Korea. The next stage judged a failure and debris fell to the mainland," added the statement.

With the fall of the missile debris, then now is the threat from North Korea is considered to have passed. "Today, missiles or missile remaining debris is not a threat anymore," they said.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket which consists of three sections, at 7:39 pm local time, from a region near the border with China. The rocket was on the air as far as 120 km, but then fell in the Yellow Sea near South Korea's territory.

The rocket reportedly exploded into 20 pieces and fell on the western coast of South Korea. Currently, the South Korean authorities are trying to find the ruins of the former North Korean rocket that fell into its territorial waters.

Rocket launch was conducted in order to commemorate the 100th birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il-Sung, which falls on 15 April. Despite the criticism and condemnation of many, but the authorities insisted on North Korea launched a long-range rocket it.

North Korea repeatedly asserted that the rocket launch was for peaceful purposes, namely to put a satellite in orbit in outer space. However, Western countries still maintain that the launch was a disguised missile test, which is clearly prohibited by the United Nations.