| South Korea is not commenting on North
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| | Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea,
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| Korea's reported launch of two
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| | General Burwell Bell, warned North Korea
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| short-range missiles this week. South
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| | has 200 mid-range missiles capable of
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| Korean media reports cite anonymous
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| | reaching Japan. He said Pyongyang might
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| officials who confirm the launch took
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| | have long-range missiles capable of
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| place, but say it was part of ordinary
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| | reaching the continental U.S. within the
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| drills.
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| | decade.
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| The South Korean government kept quiet
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| | The timing or purpose of this week's
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| Thursday about media reports of a North
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| | reported North Korean launch is not
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| Korean missile launch this week.
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| | clear.
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| South Korean media quote unnamed
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| | But Kim Dae-woo - an analyst at Seoul's
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| officials as saying North Korea launched
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| | Korea Institute for Defense Analyses -
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| two short-range missiles Wednesday
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| | says it was probably just part of
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| morning local time near its border with
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| | regularly scheduled short-range missile
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| China. It is not clear if the launch was
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| | drills.
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| a test or a mistake.
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| | "Even North Koreans themselves will
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| South Korea - which has a policy of
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| | believe that [this] is a minor thing and
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| engaging the communist North as a way to
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| | nobody will think it serious," said Kim.
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| better relations - is hesitant to
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| | "If North Korea tested a large-size [long
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| publicly criticize Pyongyang.
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| | range] missile, that could be interpreted
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| But the reports drew a quick response
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| | differently."
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| from Washington. U.S. State Department
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| | Kim says he and his colleagues are more
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| Spokesman Sean McCormack said the
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| | concerned about newly emerging reports
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| reported launches are a source of
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| | that North Korea may be selling
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| concern.
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| | long-range missile technology to Iran -
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| "North Korea's missile program and
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| | which is also embroiled in a dispute with
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| activities are a threat, not only to the
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| | the international community over its
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| region, but the international community
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| | nuclear programs.
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| at large," he said. "We are working with
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| | "That development could be really
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| our friends and allies in the region on
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| | serious," added Kim. "That could prompt a
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| deployment of active missile defenses."
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| | response from the U.S. If that is true,
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| North Korea test-fired a long-range
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| | it is a really serious development."
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| missile over Japan in 1998 - alarming the
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| | This week's reported launch comes within
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| international community. But Pyongyang
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| | 24 hours of Pyongyang's latest
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| has not conducted any medium- and
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| | announcement that it will not return to
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| long-range missile tests since. North
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| | multinational talks aimed at ending its
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| Korea is also believed to be one of the
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| | nuclear weapons programs. Three years of
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| world's largest exporters of missile
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| | negotiations have not produced any
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| technology.
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| | progress on the issue.
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| In U.S. Senate testimony this week, the
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| |
|
