Barack Obama warns North Korea over rocket launch as Pyongyang 'fuels missile'

[Turborama]

Source: Telegraph (UK)

North Korea can expect a "stern, unified action" from the international community if it test-fires a ballistic missile, US President Barack Obama has said.

By Peter Foster in Beijing
Last Updated: 12:44PM BST 02 Apr 2009

Mr Obama promised tough action at a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit as reports emerged that Pyongyang had begun fueling the long-range rocket for an impending launch. US military officials said that technicians have started to fuel up the three-stage Taepodong-2 missile at Musudan-ri launch site in the country's northeast in defiance of a 2006 UN resolution.

Pyongyang has said that the missile-test is a satellite launch not covered by the UN resolution and has informed international agencies that it will fire the rocket as early as Saturday.

US intelligence officials said that analysis of the rocket's nose-cone appeared to confirm claims that it was a satellite launch, but added that the launch was a cover for testing ballistic missile technology capable of delivering a warhead as far as Alaska or Hawaii.

Diplomatic tensions are building on the Korean peninsula, where relations between North and South have sunk to their lowest levels in a decade. South Korea said it was now actively considering taking part in the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative which could see it stopping ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction or related materials.

The North's Minju Joson newspaper responded that any such move would amount to a "declaration of war".

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/5093585/Barack-Obama-warns-North-Korea-over-rocket-launch-as-Pyongyang-fuels-missile.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. Posturing on both sides: All Obama's doing is WARNING North Korea that, we may have a lot

on our plate right now (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel and the Gaza Strip) but we'll KICK YOUR ASS if you make one move to invade our allies in South Korea.

North Korea is so closed off from the OPEN world economy, there's little we could do - in a humanitarian way - that would harm the regime in North Korea.

As and aside - I can't wait to hear Stephanie Miller Show's voice deity (Jim Ward's) "Dear Leader Response" to Obama's STERN warning threat. :spray:

[cali]

3. uh, no. he's not threatening to "kick ... ass"

[tomm2thumbs]

2. wonder if they plan to do it when everyone is at the g20? to thumb their noses

if you were a complete psycho world leader, that is what you would do

[hendo]

5. If the G20 summit were in Tokyo this year they might have. NT

[iandhr]

4. Some world leaders are evil

Kim is evil and crazy a bad combination

[Deja Q]

7. Agreed.

I think President Obama would be able to get international assistance too. The world knows what a nut Kim is and, yeah, a global intervention would be required if Kim wants to take his nuttiness to the next level.

[ohio2007]

6. North Korea says rocket launch imminent

North Korea says rocket launch imminent

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea will soon launch a long-range rocket after completing preparations to put a satellite into space, its official KCNA news agency said on Saturday, defying international calls to scrap the plan.

"The satellite will be launched soon," said the report, monitored in Seoul.

.....
.

Saturday is the first day in the April 4-8 timeframe the secretive North, which tested a nuclear device in 2006, has set for what it calls a satellite launch. Pyongyang has said it will come between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. EDT.



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http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE53058220090404?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews