July 7, 2006
Chosun Ilbo - South Korea - Original Article (English)

Kim Jong-il has done it again: defied the world.
Intelligence now shows that his longest range
missile lasted seven minutes, rather than
the 46 seconds that was first reported. (above).

[SLIDE SHOW: North Korea Missile Launch].

— BBC VIDEO NEWS: North Koreans plan
more missile tests, July 5, 00:01:13

— BBC VIDEO NEWS: Global fury after North Korean
missile test, July 4, 00:02:34



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A confidential report from South Korea's National Intelligence Service says that North Korea has another long-range Taepodong-2 missile like the one that crashed into the ocean on Wednesday. That means that another test launch is likely once Pyongyang figures out how to fix the defect that scuppered the first missile. Officials also contradicted reports on Wednesday that the missile blew up 42 seconds after launch, saying that it actually traveled for seven minutes after veering off of its intended trajectory.

The report was submitted to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee on Thursday. Committee members quoted it as saying at the beginning of May, North Korea moved two Taepodong-2 missiles from Pyongyang. Based on the assumption that the missile failed due to a technical defect, there is a “very strong” possibility that the North will launch the second missile once the problem has been scrutinized and repaired.

Members said there was no mention of whether a launch platform has been set up for a second test or whether the second missile has been fueled. America's NBC reported that the other Taepodong-2 was in the final stages of assembly but had not been moved to a launch platform.

The Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, "The area surrounding the launch pad in Hwadae-gun in North Hamgyeong Province is clean, and as of yet there are no signs of an additional launch."

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A military official told reporters that the Taepodong-2 launched at dawn Wednesday remained on the proper trajectory for 42 seconds, but then suffered engine trouble and continued off course for another seven minutes, traveling 310 miles [499 kilometers] in all, before crashing into the sea.

Meanwhile, in a report to the National Assembly's Defense Committee, the Defense Ministry announced plans to introduce 48 Patriot missiles between 2008 and 2009 as part of its SAM-X project. After 2009, it will introduce SM-2 Block-IV sea-to-air interceptor missiles, to be carried on Aegis ships to counter the North Korean missile threat. [Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System ].