Defiant North Korea fires rockets, blames U.S.

Reuters
May 26, 2009
By Jack Kim

North Korea defied international condemnation of its latest nuclear test by firing three short-range missiles off its coast on Tuesday and major powers considered tougher action against the isolated communist state.

With tension in the region high, South Korea said it would join a U.S.-led initiative to intercept ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction, something Pyongyang has warned it would consider a declaration of war.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a government source in Seoul as saying the North had test-fired one surface-to-air and one surface-to-ship missile off its east coast. The missiles had a range of about 130 km (80 miles). …

North Korea also fired three short-range missiles on Monday and South Korean media quoted government sources as saying further missile tests were possible. …

www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSEO14165620090526

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