North Korea’s Rocket Launching

North Korea’s Rocket Launching and its Background

North Korea on March 21 restored military communication lines with South Korea and reopened the border crossing to a joint industrial complex, as tensions remained high ahead of an expected rocket launch.. Pyongyang had cut the phone lines and sealed the border in protest at a joint US-South Korea military exercise which qualified as a prelude to war. Tension rose with Japan as well. However, on April 5, 2009 North Korea’s controversial rocket launch Taepodong-2 at last traveled some 3200 kilometers which was double the range that Pyongyang achieved with Taepodong-1 in 1998.

The whole world got stirred by a declaration made by the government run radio of North Korea on October 9, 2006. The declaration revealed the fact of successful nuclear test of North Korea and it also expressed that it would pave the way of peace in the Korean Peninsula. The declaration further said when the whole citizenry of the country have got together to establish a powerful socialist country, our successful scientist and technologists have successfully and secretly caused the nuclear explosion under the earth. It will not cause any nuclear reaction and it is the expression of our sophisticated knowledge and technology. Our citizen and armed forces show their enthusiasm at this explosion. Though many expressed their doubt and apprehension, most of the nuclear specialists expressed their opinion and favoured it outlining its rationale.

The earthquake measuring tools of Japan, south Korea, Australia and the USA detected the explosion. The Geological Institute of South Korea informed that on October 9 at GMT 1:36 minutes the test was conducted at north-east coast near Hawa Dairee. They measured 4.2 quake in the Rictar scale. South Korea said the destructive power of this nuclear unit contains 550 ton. The Foreign Minister of Russia said the power of this bomb almost equals to the bomb dropped at Heroshima in 1945.

North Korea faced tremendous protest from the international community particularly from the USA, Japan and South Korea before conducting the test. Even the allied country China raised questions and protested it. The Security Council of the UNO passed a proposal to refrain North Korea from the test. After the successful conduction of the test, the Security Council immediately convened a meeting and passed a condemnation proposal. Most of the countries of the world followed the procedure probably because of American threat either directly or indirectly. Only exception is Iran which aired the successful condition of the test with much enthusiasm and grandeur.

State run radio of Iran expressed that America has always criticized and hated North Korea. Iran has rightly said that the world experiences the imbalance of nuclear power. Only a few powerful states of the world enjoy the nuclear power which has caused an odd situation and it is not expected at all for the sustainable peace and prosperity of the world. North Korea has directly sent the message that this nuclear test aims at developing military power. After the test the North Korean President Kim Jung El has said the increasing pressure and threat of America to world peace and breaking the promise to the world, North Korea has been compelled to follow this direction.

Defense and military specialists opine that the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles have the ability to strike the state of Hawaii, California and Alaska of the USA. Several years ago the Intelligence Agencies of America expressed the apprehension that the first target of North Korea would be America. Besides this, the huge army of North Korea has already become a threat to America and its allies. The available sources reveal the fact that North Korea boasts of eleven lakh soldiers which stands fourth in the world. It has another 47 lakh reserved forces and artillery shells and hundreds of scud missiles to face any military threat.

For all these reasons the powerful communist country North Korea has become the headache of America. In fact continuous threat from America, the collapse of Soviet Union, the deviation of Gono China from its principle and rectification theory have convinced North Korea to feel a sense of insecurity which compelled her to go forward to develop nuclear power. America has tried to foil this attempt since the very inception of developing nuclear energy. In 1994 Clinton Administration sent a huge number of Naval Force to North Korea to foil the attempt of developing nuclear energy. Due to the aggressive policy of America North Korea turned aside from NTP in 1993 and told that they would use the nuclear energy for fuel and electricity. The Pieng Young expelled the representatives of IIS. North Korea denied signing on NPT. The present president of America George W. Bush termed North Korea as axis of evil in January 2002. North Korea remains adamant in her planning nuclear power to respond to America’s military threat.


In January of 2003 North Korea has withdrawn herself from signing NPT contract. In the same way she withdraws herself from the six-group nation consisting of USA, Japan, China, South Korea and Russia. However, at last ignoring all the international threat and pressure she successfully conducted the nuclear test on October 9, 2006. After the explosion Korean President Kim Jang El expressed his desire to establish peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula along with making his country’s military power consolidated. But some military analysts and international community cannot be at one with him. Many of them apprehend the spread and competition of nuclear power. To express the reaction of the test South Korean President said this test would initiate a new arms competition in the region. On the other hand the Japanese Prime Minister Shinju said this test would change the political landscape of Korean Peninsula and initiate a new and dangerous nuclear age. Analysts say if South Korea and Japan start thinking whether they should initiate the competition of nuclear power will initiate the apprehension of arms completion in the region.

Japan seems to be the second most country which raised questions after the USA against the Nuclear Test of North Korea. Japan has already imposed different kind of sanctions against North and wants to develop an aggressive and powerful defensive policy in collaboration with America deviating from the self-defensive policy of Japan. It is assumed that Japan can start producing nuclear power in collaboration with America in the same way as Israel did. In fact, the double standard policy of America has encouraged proliferating nuclear power throughout the world. The same cause has led Iran to go forward with nuclear test. The nuclear test of North Korea in spite of tremendous pressure from different corners of the world bears the sign of reducing and weakening the unique dominance of America throughout the globe. Now some countries like Iran will continue their atomic plan showing their thumb to The United States of America. It is also assumed that the atomic energy may reach the hands of even terrorists. Now North Korea has been included as the eightieth member of Atomic Club. Some think Israel also is included in this group. Now four countries of Asia are the members of this group. The rest three countries are India, Pakistan and China. It is vaguely heard that Pakistan showed its interest in developing the nuclear power of North Korea. Several reasons have led India to show its serious reaction towards the test of North Korea. May be Pakistan’s interest has caused it. Of course, days will not be same always.

If these four Asian countries will come under a common platform, it will be a serious concern for America. This is why America has become very active just after the test. But America has not shown her braveness to take any military action against North Korea. She has taken the strategy to work against N. Korea taking all the member states of the UNO. The bitter experience of America in Iraq may lead to follow this strategy. Though she has received some positive response from Great Britain and France, Russia and China stand in the way of executing the plan of America. China never expects to see the annihilation of communist N. Korea though she expressed her reaction against the nuclear test. Russia also holds the same opinion and position in this regard. This is why China and Russia stood in the same way in the Security Council of America’s initiative. Chinese Ambassador to UNO Tang Jiang and Russian foreign minister Sarpei Lavrov had a meeting and the Russian FM said that they could impose sanction against N. Korea but it will be on the basis of some conditions.

He said no military action against the people of N. Korea would be taken. Again both Russia and China want to resolve the issue through political and diplomatic discussion. On October 14, the proposal to impose military attack against N. Korea has been excluded due to the apprehension of witnessing veto from China and Russia. The fifteen countries of Security Council have taken the proposal only on supplying arms and financial matter. By virtue of this proposal no member country of UNO will sell or handover any material to Peang Yeong which they can use in the nuclear energy. Tank, scud and helicopter go under this sanction. The member countries can search the transports run between N. Korea and other countries to ensure they don’t carry any nuclear related material. Exporting all kinds of luxurious materials from N. Korea to other countries have been imposed which has been vehemently protested by N. Korea. The North Korean representative to UNO has said it a quite unreasonable step. He said Security Council is indifferent to the nuclear threat and other pressure of America towards N.Korea. This sort of threat was considered equal to declaring war which was revealed by communist authority of North Korea. If N. Korea takes this kind step to save herself and being seriously cornered, can it be made solely responsible? Russia has expressed doubt whether this sort of sanction can be retained for long. It is also a matter of question whether Iran or Venezuela will pay heed to it . Considering the geographical causes and position China will also not expect to annihilate the communist rule in N. Korea. In the same way many other countries are holding the same opinion secretly regarding this issue.


Reviewing all the facts and figures it can be deduced that so long the imperialist countries will adopt the policy of aggressiveness, regime change and nuclear issue and play the double standard, the vying for nuclear energy will continue in the world threatening world peace and making more people half fed and starving.



Md. Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
( He regularly writes on various national and international issues)
Phone:9355253 (residence), 01714.091431 (cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net