N. Korea fires missiles to threaten U.S. spy planes: official

[TomClash]

Source: Yonhap News Agency (S.K orea)

LEAD) N. Korea fires missiles to threaten U.S. spy planes: official

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea fired two additional short-range missiles Monday in an apparent move to threaten U.S. spy planes monitoring a site where the regime is believed to have conducted its second nuclear test, a South Korean official said.

"The launches took place at around 5:03 p.m.," the official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. North Korea had earlier launched a surface-to-air missile around noon, hours after it said it detonated a nuclear device in an underground bunker.

"The latest missiles were fired from Wonsan, which isn't too far from Taepodong, where the first one was launched," the official said. "The launches appear to be a reaction to U.S. surveillance efforts."

South Korean officials said they detected a tremor similar to "an artificial earthquake" registering a magnitude of 4.4 on the Richter scale at 9:54 a.m in the northeastern part of the communist neighbor.

The latest detonation, which comes after North Korea conducted its first atomic test in October 2006, triggered U.S. and South Korean security officials to step up their vigilance over Pyongyang.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the allies "bolstered their combined surveillance assets intensively" to keep tabs on the North Korean forces. "A proper level of monitoring and early warning systems have been established to detect signs of provocation," it said.

"An order for toughened guard was issued to units Monday morning," it said.

The South Korean military could not immediately identify the specifications of the latest missiles North Korea launched, the official said.

"What we can say for now is that they were short-range missiles," the official said.


Read more: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2009/05/25/4/0301000000AEN20090525010800315F.HTML

[rocktivity]

1. What do you expect a hostile country to do when you fly spy planes over it?

Wave?

:hi:
rocktivity

[ixion]

2. no doubt...

it's funny (in a stupid way) that the US gets pissed off when other countries try and defend themselves, and yet if these same countries acted the way the US acts toward the US (e.g. NK flying spy planes over US territory), the people in the US would be having a sh*t fit.

It's a most idiotic trait, IMO.

[DissedByBush]

3. We normally don't fly over

These missiles were launched from a coastal town, so probably at a plane of ours flying in international waters off North Korea.

[SkyDaddy7]

5. YES!

Just like China, Russia, Israel, and whoever else flies spy planes and boats around America...It is an International game that all countries with the capabilities play.

[DissedByBush]

6. We used to fly over the USSR

And they used to shoot at us.

Yep, just a game.

[ohio2007]

8. Sattelites do the dangerous work. Kim's trying to scare planes away flying in international waters

Obama doesn't need nor has he oredered planes to fly over NK

[ManiacJoe]

4. Depends on the plane being used.

When the SR-71s were flying over the Soviet Union/Russia on a regular basis, the Soviets regularly tried to shoot them down. They just lacked the technical ability to do so. Now that the Blackbirds have been retired, the USA just needs to be more mindful about what it sends where.

[DissedByBush]

7. My bet on the plane

The same kind that the Chinese crashed into. We tend to do our flyovers with satellites these days. The plane was probably for sigint.

[ohio2007]

9. EP3

They are easy enough targets to splash