By Dr Ahmad Rashid Malik
Published in The Nation: April 11, 2009


The Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) has been fast reaching toward the attainment of sophisticated missile and civilian technology and going beyond many nuclear armed and advanced military nations. The country has achieved remarkable confidence and trust in its indigenous nuclear and missile technological advancement over the last couple of decades. The DPRK government announced on April 5, 2009 that it has propelled a satellite into space from the Musudan-ri in North Hamgyong Province. Later, DPRK’s Deputy UN Ambassador, Pak Tok Hun, told the United Nations Security Council at New York that the launched rocket was a peaceful satellite to transfer data. The government claimed it is now one of ten countries in the world that could independently put a satellite into orbit. Analysts believe that the launching cost could reach US$300 million, equal to ten percent of the country’s annual trade volume.

Several countries, however, do not subscribe to the claims made by the government of the North Korea. United States of America, Japan, and South Korea believe that the North Korea’s missile launching is a cover-up ballistic missile and not a civilian satellite launching as nothing was sent into orbit.

United States contended that the satellite was a failure and the rocket travelled 3,100 km. The US also suspects that the rocket was a Taepodong-2, an Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), which could hit the Alaska and Hawaii in America. The US says that even the earlier 2006 testing was lost within 40 seconds as this was carried out after what they called the first failure in 1998.

Contrary to US record, there are reports about the success of the launching from Japanese and South Korean sources. For instance, Japanese defence expert, Kensuke Ebata, at Takushoku University, says that the rocket was larger than the Taepodong-1 missile. Harunori Nagata, professor at Hokkaido University, observed that the launch was stable, and seemed to be very well done.

South Korea's National Intelligence Service described the North Korea’s latest testing as a successful rocket testing. Therefore, as there are claims and counter-claims, it is doubtful to ascertain the originality whether it was satellite or ICBM.