UPDATE added on May 4/5/6
美国首发朝鲜军力报告 称朝鲜构成最严峻威胁
Headline: For the first time, the U.S. issued a report on North Korea's military strength, saying that North Korea is posing a most severe threat.
中新社华盛顿5月2日电 (记者 德永健)五角大楼2日首次发布朝鲜军力报告，称朝鲜意图攻击韩国，寻求发展核武和远程弹道导弹，并无视联合国安理会决议进行武器扩散，目前依然对美国国家安全构成最严峻威胁。
Cable from New China Agency by De Yong Jian, Washington, on May 2:
For the first time, the Pentagon issued a report on North Korea's military strength, saying that it is North Korea's intention to attack the South. Seeking to develop nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles while ignoring resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and [even] conducting the proliferation of weaponry, [North Korea] is still posing a most severe threat to America's national safety by now.
Above: Public presentation of a short-range earth-air guided missile system by North Korea's Central TV on April 6, 2013.
[Source:
China News Network 中国新闻网 on May 3, 2013]
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North Korea's missile program - State of the art
All of the rockets on this picture have already been tested. The two-stage missile that should reach targets some 6.700 km away was reported to present some difficulties to the North Korean technicians. However, a three-stage modification of that missile is known to be under development and might once reach targets 8.000-12.000 km away, such threatening U.S. mainland.
[Source:
New China Network 新华网 on May 3, 2013]
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Update for May 4, 2013:
美国发布朝鲜军力报告：正寻求核打击美国本土
A U.S. published report on N Korea's military strength:
Just striving for a nuclear attack on U.S. mainland.
Complete arsenal of already existing N Korean rockets (above).
S Korean personnel leaving the Kaesong industrial zone (below).
[Source:
SOHU News 搜狐新闻 on May 4, 2013]
3月15日，美国国防部长查克·哈格尔宣布，他已下令军方在美国西海岸新增14个陆基导弹拦截装置，以应对来自朝鲜的导弹威胁。
On March 15, U.S. defense secretary Chuck Hagel declared that he already ordered another 14 land based missile interception devices for the U.S. west coast to respond to any missile threat from North Korea.
[Source:
New China Network 新华网 on May 4, 2013]
Editor's Note:
To get the full picture of a slowly but steadily heating conflict, my visitors are advised to refer to my series of subsequent blogspots on the Korean subject beginning in April 2013.
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Update for May 5, 2013:
The following article, published today, May 5, by
New China Network has a presentation of the North Korean missile arsenal and analyzes their development of range and capacity during the last decade. Even though that article is based on a Pentagon report already quoted some days before, this has become a fascinating subject for Chinese readers who now want to learn more. All this should be seen in the frame of North Korea's questionable behaviour making any of its further steps quite unpredictable. Therefore, the Korean subject has somehow "muzzeled" all those reports continuously published before by Chinese media on the notorious island dispute between China and Japan, another severe problem in the Far East.
解读朝鲜导弹“飞毛腿”“舞水端”“大浦洞”真正实力
Explaining to the reader North Korea's guided missiles: Scud, Musudan, Taepodong and their true strength.
Above: Discussion of the Musudan rocket [Chin.: Wu Shui Duan
舞水端 "Dancing to the End of the Water"] which is expected to have a range of fire between 3.000 and 4.000 km corresponding to its maximum ballistic height of 3.000 km.
Above: Discussing the Taepodong 2 rocket [Chin.: Da Pu Dong
大浦洞 "Great Rivermouth Penetration"]
The two-stage guided missile should have a range of 6.700 km while a three-stage modification could have a range of up to 12.000 km. The long-range modification, now under development, might therefore reach Hawaii and U.S. mainland (Alaska, California).
The Chinese article discusses earlier missile tests between 1998 and 2012. When North Korea announced the launch of a satellite in August 1998 this was seen by the U.S. as a test for multi-stage rockets. At this time the Taepodong 1 missile was first mentioned and its tests began to terrorize Japanese citizens.
PATRIOT-3 missile defense system deployed in Tokyo
and awaiting another North Korean "missile test".
The U.S. are considering in their report about North Korea's military strength:
"North Korea's development of vehicles for spaceflight [is matching with] a development of range for reaching the significance of U.S. long-range guided missiles, such making it possible to cover part of U.S. territory. However, as a result of North Korea not having [learnt to launch] enough carrier rockets that can return to the atmosphere, the Taepodong 2 still doesn't possess the attacking capacity of lifting and carrying a warhead."
[Source:
New China Network 新华网 on May 5, 2013]
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Update for May 6, 2013:
Above:
Kim Jong Un on May 5, 2013, while visiting a research institute for biological engineering, announces the need to turn North Korea into a
people's paradise.
[Source:
China Radio International CRI 国际在线 on May 6, 2013]
Remarkable visitors to "blueprint news" coming from Russia and the U.S.A.:
