Kyodo News: USA Is Warning of Possible Launch of NODONG Missile By North Korea (7:20 pm Eastern)

Kyodo News Service (From Original Japanese, by "Freepranslation") ^ | 6 March 2003 Japan Time | Kyodo News (in Japanese)

[AmericanInTokyo]

7:20 p.m. Eastern Time, Wednesday Nite

By ticker, with specific news to follow. Ticker: "USA Warns of Possible Nodong Missile Test Launch by North Korea" ("Kita chosen no missairu no nodong shisha wo keikai, bei seifu")

It is unclear who was warned but most certainly must be Japan and South Korea. It does not say when the Nodong test launch may occur. Other interpretations of the operational verb are: "on guard against, worried, warning, keeping an eye on."

Just appeared briefly and is still up on the Japanese Kyodo website (link above). More details should come in soon. It might point to an expected launch of a Nodong, rather than a Taepodong, from the DPRK in a short period of time from now.

Defense spokesman for Japan Ishiba and others stated yesterday that the DPRK Nodong missile is capable of being retrofitted with a nuclear warhead.

[AmericanInTokyo]

That's all.

[RightWhale]

We're on alert here in Alaska. If they hit my car and dent the hood or scratch the paint, somebody will be in big trouble.

[Snowy]

We're on alert here in Alaska.

No kidding?

[CindyDawg]

You are joking because of what happened last week, right?

[RightWhale]

Kind of a deep yellow, a cadmium yellow alert.

[Poohbah]

They need a better name the "No Dong."

[twntaipan]

A friend who lives in S. Korea told me recently that the NK crazies are more likely to use a nuke on Tokyo (because of old animosities) than Seoul. Have you heard anything like that?

[philo]

Is the American translation of the Nodong missle the Nojohnson?

[duk]

According to the Insurance idustry there will be no payoff for nuke damage. The other alternatives are not any nicer.

[RightWhale]

Yes, that was a subreference to the unverified find of part of a warhead in Chilkoot Pass.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Further details. A US (high level) government representative relayed this concern and situation to a Kyodo News reporter at the end fo the work day today in Washington, D.C.. The individual stated that there are several reasons the US now thinks the North Koreans are positioning themselves for a Nodong launch. The Nodong is more reliable than the Taepodong, and the Nodong can reach Japanese territory but not US territory. Satellite photography and other methods have revealed serious recent movements by the North Koreans to indicate they are positioning for a Nodong intermediate range ballistic missile test launch, rather than a Taepondong. Because of the mobile aspect of the Nodongs, it was felt best to immediately warn Japan. Other analysis was that the Nodong launch would be the next step up the ladder of ratcheting up tension in Northeast Asia and putting pressure on the United States, by intimidating and terrorising Japan. It is all part and parcel of their 'brinksmanship' negotiating technique to get the Americans' attention.

A more expanded report is out just now, several paragraphs long, based on the initial ticker story.

[RightWhale]

According to the Insurance idustry there will be no payoff for nuke damage

I know that. N Kor will have to come up with the moolah for repairs, and I don't know they have the ability to raise that kind of cash.

[Blue Screen of Death]

They need a better name the "No Dong."

I know. The whole missle is a gigantic phallic symbol anyway, so what's with the NoDong deal? Has NK got an equivalant of Patsy Schroder on their Armed Forces Committee?

[Mark Felton]

Their long range missile is called the...?

[jlogajan]

They need a better name the "No Dong."

I dunno, maybe they are trying to tell us something. :-)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thank you twntaipan, for being the one with a serious question for this thread.

Yes, that is heard in circles. Certainly the most hated enemies of the North Koreans are Japan and the United States, followed by South Korea. That is why they are playing their divide and conquer games all throughout Northeast Asia at the moment.

[Renegade]

Is that the same missle as the No DEEEEEK!???

[js1138]

They need a better name the "No Dong."

You know the old sayong: the bigger the missile, the smaller the muscle.

[backhoe]

Here are some sites I use for fast-breaking news:

http://www.abyznewslinks.com/unite.htm

http://news.google.com/

http://www.israelinewsnow.com/