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North Korea’s boast that it has launched a satellite into space has been contradicted by reports from the US military that the Unha-2 rocket fell into the Pacific Ocean.
US officials now believe that Pyongyang has perfected its ability to launch boats—without warning. And with boats now a part of their arsenal, can crude biplanes be far behind?
Korea-watchers say that the first hint Pyongyang intends to develop a technology comes when they claim their leaders have already invented it.
Today’s launch was delayed for several hours while authorities pushed back thousands of ordinary North Koreans eager to be on board the missile, whatever its destination.
Few outside the country genuinely expected that the North would defy the world with a rogue boat launch. The incident has led to fears on the Korean peninsula of an imminent ‘boat race’.
But North Korea insists that its boat launch was peaceful, describing the payload as a communications satellite. Officials refused to explain why a communications satellite would need to be underneath the Pacific Ocean, citing the need for time to make something up.
Given the amounts North Korea spends on ballistic missile technology, the launch must surely rank as the most wasteful boat ride since the last Manly-Circular Quay JetCat.
