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China protests over South Korea's plan for US missile defences
Experts say that North Korea's latest missile test - coming after four nuclear tests - has left Seoul with little choice except to request a US missile shield
This picture taken from North Korean TV shows missile launch
By Julian Ryall, and Danielle Demetriou, Tokyo
9:01AM GMT 08 Feb 2016
China has taken the rare step of summoning South Korea’s ambassador to receive an official protest against Seoul requesting the deployment of US missile defences on its territory.
South Korea has been considering whether to ask America to install the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system. A final decision had previously been delayed by concerns over antagonising China.
But North Korea's missile test on Sunday has forced Seoul's hand. Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, announced on the same day that talks would begin with America on the "earliest possible" deployment of THAAD missile defence batteries.
China fears that the arrival of an advanced anti-missile system in a regional neighbour would compromise the effectiveness of its own nuclear deterrent. Beijing is also wary of a recovery in US influence in South Korea after a concerted effort by China to woo the country over the last two years.
But South Korea has dismissed Beijing's objections, pointing out that THAAD is not an offensive weapon but a defensive system designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles.
Experts believe that North Korea’s regular tests of both nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles have made Seoul’s decision inevitable.
Kim Jong-un watches missile launch
“This nuclear testing coupled with the testing of ballistic missile technology was always likely to strengthen the argument that South Korea needs to bolster its missile defences," said Ben Goodlad, from IHS Aerospace, a defence consultancy, according to Agence France Press news agency.
There is additional concern in South Korea after the national intelligence agency warned that the North is preparing to carry out another underground nuclear test. This would be the fifth such detonation since 2006. Last month, North Korea claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb, which is many times more destructive than a standard nuclear device, although international experts were sceptical.
Pyongyang's latest provocations have been unanimously condemned – even by its old allies, China and Russia. A new nuclear test would demonstrate that Kim Jong-un’s regime is indifferent to this criticism.
At a meeting of the National Security Council on Sunday, President Park said: “The security of South Korea and its people are under threat as nobody knows the reckless provocations that North Korea will make.”
Shortly after dawn on Monday, a North Korean patrol ship crossed the maritime border off the western coast of the Korean peninsula. South Korean vessels fired warning shots before the warship withdrew across the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea.
A North Korean long-range rocket is launched into the air at the Sohae rocket launch site Photo: REUTERS/Kyodo
North Korea claimed that the missile launched on Sunday was a rocket that placed a satellite in space. But the object carried by the rocket weighed only 440 lbs, compared with a functional satellite that would usually weigh at least 1,700 lbs.
Significantly, North Korea is believed to be trying to reduce the size and weight of its nuclear warheads so they can be fitted on a long-range missile. A warhead weight of 1,100 lbs considered to be the North's target.
China protests over South Korea's plan for US missile defences - Telegraph
@Nihonjin1051 , @Hamartia Antidote , @F-22Raptor et al. You see what i was talking about recently?
An aggressive/paranoid/crazy Kim dynasty regime is the best thing that could ever happen to the U.S military presence in the region, since it reinforces the S.KOREAN-U.S-JAPAN ALLIANCE and justifies the large U.S military presence against any potential threat in the region. Fat Kim doesn't understand anything about geopolitics and he doesn't care about anything anyway.
Experts say that North Korea's latest missile test - coming after four nuclear tests - has left Seoul with little choice except to request a US missile shield
This picture taken from North Korean TV shows missile launch
By Julian Ryall, and Danielle Demetriou, Tokyo
9:01AM GMT 08 Feb 2016
China has taken the rare step of summoning South Korea’s ambassador to receive an official protest against Seoul requesting the deployment of US missile defences on its territory.
South Korea has been considering whether to ask America to install the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system. A final decision had previously been delayed by concerns over antagonising China.
But North Korea's missile test on Sunday has forced Seoul's hand. Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, announced on the same day that talks would begin with America on the "earliest possible" deployment of THAAD missile defence batteries.
China fears that the arrival of an advanced anti-missile system in a regional neighbour would compromise the effectiveness of its own nuclear deterrent. Beijing is also wary of a recovery in US influence in South Korea after a concerted effort by China to woo the country over the last two years.
But South Korea has dismissed Beijing's objections, pointing out that THAAD is not an offensive weapon but a defensive system designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles.
Experts believe that North Korea’s regular tests of both nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles have made Seoul’s decision inevitable.
Kim Jong-un watches missile launch
“This nuclear testing coupled with the testing of ballistic missile technology was always likely to strengthen the argument that South Korea needs to bolster its missile defences," said Ben Goodlad, from IHS Aerospace, a defence consultancy, according to Agence France Press news agency.
There is additional concern in South Korea after the national intelligence agency warned that the North is preparing to carry out another underground nuclear test. This would be the fifth such detonation since 2006. Last month, North Korea claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb, which is many times more destructive than a standard nuclear device, although international experts were sceptical.
Pyongyang's latest provocations have been unanimously condemned – even by its old allies, China and Russia. A new nuclear test would demonstrate that Kim Jong-un’s regime is indifferent to this criticism.
At a meeting of the National Security Council on Sunday, President Park said: “The security of South Korea and its people are under threat as nobody knows the reckless provocations that North Korea will make.”
Shortly after dawn on Monday, a North Korean patrol ship crossed the maritime border off the western coast of the Korean peninsula. South Korean vessels fired warning shots before the warship withdrew across the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea.
A North Korean long-range rocket is launched into the air at the Sohae rocket launch site Photo: REUTERS/Kyodo
North Korea claimed that the missile launched on Sunday was a rocket that placed a satellite in space. But the object carried by the rocket weighed only 440 lbs, compared with a functional satellite that would usually weigh at least 1,700 lbs.
Significantly, North Korea is believed to be trying to reduce the size and weight of its nuclear warheads so they can be fitted on a long-range missile. A warhead weight of 1,100 lbs considered to be the North's target.
China protests over South Korea's plan for US missile defences - Telegraph
@Nihonjin1051 , @Hamartia Antidote , @F-22Raptor et al. You see what i was talking about recently?
An aggressive/paranoid/crazy Kim dynasty regime is the best thing that could ever happen to the U.S military presence in the region, since it reinforces the S.KOREAN-U.S-JAPAN ALLIANCE and justifies the large U.S military presence against any potential threat in the region. Fat Kim doesn't understand anything about geopolitics and he doesn't care about anything anyway.
To some delusional people, it's because the U.S is scared of N.Korea's mighty military.
You think Iran would have fared any better than Saddam's military?? lol 
