North Korea Fires Two Missiles

North Korea has test-fired two short-range missiles off its east coast, South Korea's defence ministry spokesman has said.

The launch of the surface-to-ship missiles could further stoke tensions already high after the North's May 25 nuclear test.

Washington said earlier this week it had tightened its crackdown on firms linked to the North's proliferation of missiles, which is a major source of cash for the destitute state.

Philip Goldberg, the US envoy who co-ordinates sanctions against the North, went to China to enlist Beijing's help in getting tough with the hermit state.

China is the North's biggest benefactor whose co-operation could determine the success of any sanctions against the regime, analysts said.

China is sending its envoy to the six-country talks - aimed at ending the North Korea's atomic ambitions - to South Korea, Japan, Russia and the US. North Korea, the final party in the talks, is not on the itinerary.

"China has consistently advocated dialogue and consultation, and achieving denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula through the six-party talks process," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news briefing.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said he is seeking a meeting of the foreign ministers of the six countries including the North on July 23 in Thailand.

Analysts said the North's military grandstanding is probably related to moves by its leadership to begin readying leader Kim Jong-il's youngest son as a future heir by consolidating the 67-year-old leader's power base.

These guys in the DPRK are just plain crazy.With this brinkmanship game they are playing we just wont be surprised if some one drops an A-Bond on Pyong Yang

Lole Gwakisa said:

These guys in the DPRK are just plain crazy.With this brinkmanship game they are playing we just wont be surprised if some one drops an A-Bond on Pyong Yang

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Unafikiri USA na jamaa zake hawajui kuwa hawa jamaa vichaa...? Hapo wanasubiria kijisababu tu...!

About 2 or 3 days ago, The US fired a long-range missile off the coast of California.
Does the US have the morality to tell other countries (read: those who are not her allies) not to do what it itself does?

The DPRK has the right to posses weapons.

The US has military bases in South Korea and Japan, as well as Warships with nuclear-armed missiles.

The US has up to now not ruled out attacking North Korea/DPRK militarily, that's why it doesn't want that country to have nuclear weapons. They are deterrent weapons which makes it very difficult for the country that have them to be attacked.

What about Israeli nuclear weapons?

Che , there is a world of real politik outa there.If a country wants to play the nuclear ball it only attracts similar nuclear holding countries' interests.
When DPRK is in dire straits it is up to them to have nuclear weapons ( and possibly confrontation with th US) or feed its people.
Threre are everal countries in the world eg Brazil,Sweden ,Denmark that have the same cpability but there better sense prevails.

Marekani yuko bize kukandamiza nchi za dunia ya tatu katika kila njia na hofu yake kubwa ni nchi hizo kuwa na silaha kama ambazo anazo, kwa hofu kwamba hizo nchi zinaweza kuzitumia hizo silaha muda wowote dhidi yake,

Lakini tukiangalia katika historia ya wanaomiliki hizo silaha za Nuclear, ni Marekani pekee ndio aliyezitumia hizo, Hiroshima na Nagasaki, kwa kifupi alishashindwa vita na akaamua kuzitumia hizo silaha, kwa kifupi yeye ndio mtu ambaye hapaswi kuwa na hizo silaha kwa sababu hana uvumilivu na uwezo wa kivita kwa kutumia silaha za kawaida

Kituko said:

ni Marekani pekee ndio aliyezitumia hizo, Hiroshima na Nagasaki, kwa kifupi alishashindwa vita na akaamua kuzitumia hizo silaha,

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Mkuu Kituko, for your name sake, ulisoma wapi historia hiyo?

North Korea has fired SIX missiles in the direction of S Korea.
I am at loss as to what these guys are trying to prove.

Point of correction:
North Korea fired missiles toward the direction of the sea off its own east coast, not towards South Korea.

Lole, Brazil (& South Africa the moment Mandela came to power) eliminated their nuclear arsenal. They figured it that they are in no danger of being attacked by other countries, and in the case of South Africa by African (frontline) countries, as apartheid had ended.

Sweden, Denmark etc. are western countries allied to the US. Period.

But North Korea has been under threat of being attacked by nuclear-armed United States, which has tens of thousands of its troops just across the border in South Korea, as well as in Japan. The US has stated that all options are on the table, meaning not ruling out attack on DPRK.

America troops in South Korea and Japan have nuclear weapons. Why not North Korea? Why double-standards? The least North Korea can do is to make sure that the American leaders think twice before attacking.

Remember former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser? He said that he doesn't want US troops stationed in his country to continue stationing nuclear weapons in Australia. The Americans responded that they need the 'right' to have nuclear weapons wherever their troops are. PM Fraser then ordered the closure of all US military bases. The bases were only reopened after the pro-US right-wing PM Howard came to power.

Remember:
Every country has the right to self-defence, and more so when you are threatened by an aggressive country which has the history of militarily invading other countries for as an absurd a reason as 'regime change' according to its (aggressor's) liking, the aggressive counry which has nuclear-armed troops just across your border.


What about nuclear arms of Israel?

Che Guevara said:

Point of correction:
North Korea fired missiles toward the direction of the sea off its own east coast, not towards South Korea.

Lole, Brazil (& South Africa the moment Mandela came to power) eliminated their nuclear arsenal. They figured it that they are in no danger of being attacked by other countries, and in the case of South Africa by African (frontline) countries, as apartheid had ended.

Sweden, Denmark etc. are western countries allied to the US. Period.

But North Korea has been under threat of being attacked by nuclear-armed United States, which has tens of thousands of its troops just across the border in South Korea, as well as in Japan. The US has stated that all options are on the table, meaning not ruling out attack on DPRK.

America troops in South Korea and Japan have nuclear weapons. Why not North Korea? Why double-standards? The least North Korea can do is to make sure that the American leaders think twice before attacking.

Remember former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser? He said that he doesn't want US troops stationed in his country to continue stationing nuclear weapons in Australia. The Americans responded that they need the 'right' to have nuclear weapons wherever their troops are. PM Fraser then ordered the closure of all US military bases. The bases were only reopened after the pro-US right-wing PM Howard came to power.

Remember:
Every country has the right to self-defence, and more so when you are threatened by an aggressive country which has the history of militarily invading other countries for as an absurd a reason as 'regime change' according to its (aggressor's) liking, the aggressive counry which has nuclear-armed troops just across your border.


What about nuclear arms of Israel?

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Thanks for the clarification, but you have NOT extended your explanation to the scenario of a possible NUCLEAR confrontation betweeen the US and N.Korea.

History proves that bigotry has always ended in disaster, and hanging the perpretors will not be enough to settle the carnage experienced.
Japan,Germany and Italy learned the hard way.
It is a fallacy for one think that a few warheads is enough to be a deterrent a against a possible nuclear onslaught.
As for the case of Israel, its a country wasting its own time and possibly that of others.
A nuclear attack on either Palestine or any of its neighbours is suicide due to possible downwind radiation within a radius of 100-200km.
People seem to forget that the Chernobyl disaster spread to almost the whole of East and Central Europe. This disaster underscored the fallacity of a nuclear detterence.