. | . |
North Korea holds mass celebrations for latest missile test by Staff Writers Seoul (AFP) Dec 2, 2017 North Korea held mass celebrations for its latest successful long-range missile test, Pyongyang's state media said Saturday, with the regime accusing Washington of "begging for nuclear war" over planned military drills. To celebrate the missile launch the ruling Workers Party's official daily Rodong Sinmun covered its front page with colour photographs showing thousands of tightly packed soldiers and people applauding in Pyongyang's Kim Il-Sung square, which was decorated with large portraits of the North's late leaders. "We heartily celebrate the successful test launch of the Hwasong-15 which showed Chosun (North Korea)'s power and greatness to the whole world", read one banner held up by the crowd, referring to the missile. North Korea on Wednesday successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, with leader Kim Jong-Un declaring his country had now achieved full nuclear statehood. The US in response warned that Kim Jong-Un's regime would be "utterly destroyed" if its pursuit of a long-range nuclear missile arsenal provokes a military clash. Washington is battling to maintain international solidarity in the face of the North nuclear threat after Russia warned that sanctions have failed and China side-stepped talk of an oil embargo. On Saturday Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated his country's condemnation of the missile test. However, he added: "It is impossible for us not to condemn the provocations by our American colleagues. And, much to our regret, that they try to pull the Japanese and the South Koreans in the same direction. They will be the first victims if a war is started on the Korean peninsula." Tensions are expected to rise further in the coming week as South Korea and the United States launch a massive air force drill mobilising some 230 aircraft including six US F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters. Commenting that the planned manoeuvre would be the "largest-ever" such drill, a spokesman for the North's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday: "The Trump team is begging for nuclear war by staging an extremely dangerous nuclear gamble on the Korean peninsula." "The facts above evidently show who is the real nuclear war maniac and the 'nuclear demon' that disrupts and destroys peace of the Korean peninsula and the world," the statement added, the North's official news agency KCNA reported. - "Long live Kim Jong-Un"- Kim himself was absent from the Friday's celebrations -- he usually stays away from such events -- but the gathering drew key military, party and government leaders. "Long Live the General Kim Jong-Un who has brought us the great historic cause of nuclear statehood", another banner read. Vice Chairman Pak Kwang-Ho of the party's decision-making Central Committee told the crowd that, after Wednesday's test launch, "now no one can infringe our sovereignty and rights to survive and develop", according to the daily. He said that the United States had been "jolted" at the strengthening of North Korea's nuclear force and could attempt to commit "robber-like" provocative acts. He repeated Kim's warning that the North would respond with the "highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history". Kim first made the threat in September in response to Trump's UN speech threatening to destroy the North and mocking him as "Little Rocket Man". The ICBM Hwasong-15 type weaponry system used in Wednesday's test is an intercontinental ballistic rocket tipped with super-large heavy warhead capable of striking the whole mainland of the US, the North said. But analysts remain unconvinced that the North has mastered the technology required to launch and direct a missile, and ensure it survives the difficult re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
Washington (UPI) Nov 30, 2017 Lockheed Martin has been awarded a modified contract by the U.S. Navy for the procurement of the UGM-133A Trident II, or Trident D5, a submarine launched ballistic missile. The deal, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, is worth more than $71.6 million under a cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, which is a cost-reimbursement contract where the initial ... read more Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |