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Bobby Yip / Reuters
Journalists escorted to site for launch that is stirring tensions
Space officials in North Korea told NBC Tuesday that all assembly and preparations for its new satellite and rocket have been completed, saying it will be launched sometime between Thursday and Monday.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Pyongyang, the experts refused to answer the question about whether the rocket has been fueled yet, but they said assembly and other preparations are done.
Inside North Korea: Closely watched launch poses risks
They also repeated their insistence that that satellite is not a cover for a missile test, adding that "the right to have a satellite is a universal right of every nation."
Regarding U.S. concerns, the official said, "These are things that shouldn't be worried about."
The launch of the Unha-3 rocket, which North Korea says will merely put a weather satellite into space, breaches U.N. sanctions imposed to prevent Pyongyang from developing a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead.
Russia, a former backer of North Korea which has boosted economic ties with Pyongyang, has denounced the program.
Slideshow: North Korea
The space experts said there is a five-year North Korean space program to develop larger rockets, improve satellite control centers and organize better cameras to observe Earth.
In response to a question about the cost of the satellite, a North Korean Space Tech Committee representative said, "An appropriate amount has been invested."
China on Tuesday reiterated its calls for calm and restraint on the Korean peninsula.
North Korean space officials say they will go along with a planned rocket launch this week. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
All sides should respect international law to prevent the worsening of tensions on the peninsula, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily news briefing.
A rare peek inside North Korea
Another nuclear test would almost certainly alarm neighbors and infuriate the West, which has long sought to curb the North's nuclear ambitions.
Meanwhile a U.S.-based rights organization Tuesday published a report saying at least 150,000 North Koreans are languishing in gulags.
The U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea said its report was based on extensive interviews with over 60 defectors and more than 40 satellite photos of North Korean political prisoner camps.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Meanwhile, a Korean based rights organization Tuesday published a report saying that at least 2.5 million Americans are languishing in prisons.
Yeah...so what !! They aren't political prisoners but common criminals - there's a little difference !!
Wow! Name calling. Stay classy now. Do you like abuse so much that you are trying to illicit some with a bit of name calling. Im not the dominatrix type, so youre barking up the wrong tree.
It doesn't say anything about those 150,000 being political prisoners. Do you know for a fact that everyone in the gulags are political prisoners? Gulags traditionally house a range of criminals.
It's a well know sad fact about America that we have among the highest levels of incarceration in the entire world...so choose your painful truth to accept.
1. Either you admit that our society produces the most criminals in the world.
2. Our system of justice is as barbaric as north Korea's in how it deals with transgressions of the law.
@ StMiller; It's a well know sad fact about America that we have among the highest levels of incarceration in the entire world...so choose your painful truth to accept;
you should further note they are mostly Black and Brown
.... or perhaps we are more efficient at catching people who break the law than most countries. If you think our justice system is as barbaric as North Korea's, than you need your head examined.
baliman...who cares in this case how efficient you are at catching them. There aren't 2.5 million Americans in prison unless 2.5 million Americans committed crimes to be efficient at catching and since there is no way to achieve 100% efficiency at catching them then you agree that we are actually producing more than 2.5 million criminals.
My point is...what is the point of mentioning that some random f'ing country has a prison system with 150,000 people in it when we have one with 2.5 million?!?
JohnJulius - I don't know the race breakdown, but I do know that 96% of the prisoners were male.
I'm not the man they think I am in the west, no no no no, i'm a rocket man, burning up the fuse in Pyongyang...
@StMiller
I get what you are driving at, but there are a lot of things that point to the fact that many of the people in the "gulags" are there for something as small as not bowing low enough to the statue of their "Dear Father." And not only will that person go to these jails, but the entire family gets lumped in there as well. Children are born in these facilities and live out there entire life there doing forced labor while getting the equivalent of 1 potato of nourishment a day if they are lucky. The point the article is making is not that criminals are in prison, but people that did nothing wrong and are supporting the dictatorship with free / slave labor.
Ben64D-3144466 - I understand what you're saying and since I don't know the facts regarding their gulags I will assume that what you are saying is correct. My point wasn't to bash America's prison system. I was just trying to cynically call attention to the fact that this article wasn't about political prisoners or criminals in prison in NK; it was about the possible tensions caused by North Korea launching this rocket. The person who wrote the article then randomly tacks on the last couple of sentences that have nothing to do with the rest of the article and just mentions...oh by the way... in North Korea they have gulags with 150,000 people 'languishing' in them.
St. Miller, how many in the gulags are there for the crime of not showing enough sincerity over the death of Kim Dong II (or whatever his name was)? As in all communist countries, the vast majority of prisoners are political. That is to say they were found guilty of not being politically correct. Surely you are not implying that rape, murder, armed robbery, etc. are equivalent crimes. Although, I can see why you might. Seems that unless you subscribe to the latest greatest social anomaly you are subject to being attacked by the Political Correctness Police.
Paduki... In no way am I implying that rape and murder are equivalent to a political crime. Again, my whole point was to draw attention the comment at the end of the article that was so clearly unrelated to the content and point of the article.
Also, you have to keep in mind that political crimes here are different than political crimes in N.Korea.
Here, you can go anywhere and hear someone bashing on our president.
Even the fact that we just refer to him as "Obama.. Bush.. Clinton" instead of "President Obama" - these are little things that we consider freedom of speech that can get you in trouble over there.
So whether you want to say a crime is a crime, I'm sure many of the reasons for N.Korean prisoners being in gulags and jails and concentration camps would be considered nothing more than expressing your political beliefs in America.
lol we also have more people in prisons because most countries on this planet just shoot their prisoners. Cant afford to feed them like we do.
I'm of nomadic Mongolian heritage, that migrated to White Russia, then to England and now here in America. I'm really surprised looking at the space missile, it's design is not more like the Soyas of Russia. If North Korea wanted a nuke, they could get one in a heartbeat from Russia. I'm really after: "Michael in the Morning" for this one, after killing six North Koreans (Mongolians) in the Korean War. This is my personal battle for "Two Strong Boy." As for Korean prison camps, how many Reservations and prisons and jails and institutions do we have in America? More than Korea! I am fearless of you sow!
Well that is interesting. Meanwhile, our country is setting on their laurels while that overfed idiot makes a name for himself. I would rather see our country become more proactive to North Koreas grandstanding. Those poor idiots need a war as much as we do.
I'm an American and I'm the first to say that I'm NOT proud of many things about America. Healthcare, energy policy, prison system, privacy rights or compensation of Native Americans for their loss and on and on. All the same I'd rather live in America than in a country where I'd be sent to prison for not "crying hard enough" when the dear leader dies.
Launching it and having it complete its mission are two totally different things. Their doing a full court press in the propaganda area, inviting in Western media, giving tours of the facility etc. Lets just hope nobody is buying into yet another theatrical production because that is all this is.
Now here's an issue that every Republican Presidential nominee should be stepping up to the plate and exercising what they would do as Commander in Chief should this thing get ugly. Here is a subject that when debated only a person who has served on the front lines would have the answers to. Here's a subject that seperates the politician from the leaders. I have to ask what experience any of these candidates have in dealing with this situation of a nuclear attack from N Korea. In all truth we should look at who we as Americans have leading us at a time of the chance of a nuclear attack. Over the next 5 days this little test could get ugly not between the US and Korea but rather conflict being fueled by a strike at this missle launch from bitter rivals like S Korea and Japan. Should either of them act on their own instincts without clearance from the UN the world could be a very different place within a matter of hours. Whether it be Obama or the likes of any of these clowns in the GOP I really doubt any of them in office would have much of a say, nor backbone, to make a personal strategic decision about the seriousness of a possible world war. Try to imagine Obama having any say in what our military brass are gonna suggest we do should this situation escalate. Now imagine someone as clueless as Romney (a total "yes man") attempting to lead this country in any type of crisis. Then imagine the likes of a little boy like Santorum being depended on to calm this situation before it escalates. Talk about a door matt of a president! I can only picture Santorum hiding in Camp David hoping the situation will defuse without him. I mean in all truth just picture top military brass throwing this countries options out on the table in front of each of these pussies we call our leaders and asking them "..So Mr. President this is what we have to work with, what do you want us to do?.." Obama would say " Do what you think is best" Romney would just say " Yes " to whatever they ask him and Santorum wouldn't say a thing but would be seen in media photos afterwards pushed to the back of the room while his cabinet look over plans for an invasion of N Korea. Thses are dangerous times not only because of what is at stake should they escalate but more so because on both sides we have people running countries with no leadership skills at all. Just look at Kim Jung Un alone. These are also dangerous times with dangerous figure heads with no military backgrounds running countries with no experience or balls to make the right decisions to save any of us..
Dont blame me, I voted for McCain!
That's because your an idiot.
Obama is clueless, keep praising him. He has no foreign policy, he would be lost if they threw a firecracker over her. I am with you Obamastopspendingourmoney, I wanted someone in there with some military experience.
Nice talk Mary Jones. Someone expresses their opinion and you resort to calling them an idiot. Too bad you weren't living in North Korea and called the glorious leader an idiot. That would shut you up !!
WeAllHave,
I couldn't agree more with you, but would like to add we need someone with military experience, experience running a business or am municipality, and common sense. Obama has none of these and these are big three.
This isn't an issue that will be extensively discussed among Republican candidates because:
A) The situation now isn't really any different than eight years ago, when our last Republican president was in office. Our policy toward North Korea hasn't changed one iota.
B) None of the current candidates would do anything differently. Be as critical as you want of Obama's foreign policy, but as far as North Korea goes, what are you supposed to do? A war with them would cause incredible damage to South Korea and provoke China, further sanctions would be meaningless, and engaging more with the worst country on the planet is pretty much out of the question, too. There are NO good options, here.
C) North Korea is not a pressing threat. People who are scared of them developing a missile with a proper atomic warhead and then lobbing it at the west coast for giggles are kidding themselves. We really can't affect change, and we're not going to submit, so there's really very little reason not to ignore them completely.
Its a very scary time we live in. Everyone just needs to watch and listen to everything that is going on around the world. My state of Wisconsin is turning on each other over the Governor. Collective barganing is being taken away and they are screaming.....they don't understand that was a benefit and privelage - NOT something they earned!!! I see "common sense" vanish from people. Their mouths open and they don't understand what is coming out of them. I have pulled people to the side and broke down what they have said and they just stare back at me with a blank look!! Doesn't matter who the president is going to be or what he will do - eventually all will crumble and force everyone into a "one-world government." Hang on - if your not watching the national news and do some digging on your own - you will never see it coming. Media only publishes what it is told to publish. So much is happening behind the scenes and it will change this world in an instant.
Obamastopspendingourmoney, if McCain would have won, we would be bomb, bomb, bombing Iran right now. I would be embarrassed to say I voted for McCain or Bush.
Some of you people are so full of yourselves and crap that it is unbelievable.
Why didn't you say anything when Bush was spending all our money. I have to agree with Mary Jones all the way. She has your number.
3, 2, 1...World War 3!
No one yet on the Today show has mentioned wher this N. Korean missile came from.....China or Russia. Why are we not putting pressure on who supplied this to N. Korea? I thought there was a international embargo to the North so it appears we have little ability to stop countries from dealing with N. Korea so does that mean they will show little help in the case of a crisis as well ? Maybe we are again starting a war economy for a few countries by keeping this on going instead of shuting the supply down. By allowing this to drag on with N. Korea spurs more support for the past Bush connected "The Carlyle Group" to make even more $ off the US taxpayers.
I'm pretty sure North Korea actually develops its own missiles. There was a hilarious news article after they developed the Type-O Dong missile (heh).
Its a rocket, not a missile.
thatgaydownsouth, yeah keep telling yourself that.
Im just pointing out that there's a difference. Missiles have guidance systems, rockets do not. And thank you for your inflamitory comment. Ready to be banned?
Unlike you, I have a pair.
Robin from KY-USA, N. Korea has always had A missile technology. They manufacture their own components. They even sell these missiles to countries who do not have their own missile program (e.g. Iran). Russia may have assisted them in developing their program back when the USSR existed, but N. Korea now develops on their own, and has for quite some time.
The Hyundai of missles. I'm terrified.
Ummm, gee, maybe it is time for South Korea to enter the space race? - RC
Bet ya $20.00 it ends up in the ocean and then the North Koreans will say they launched it to explore the Marianas Trench!
That little turd Kim Jonh-Un ,needs to study, and educate himself concerning advanced weaponry of the United States Military.... believe me, he does not wanna face the wrath of Artillery Annie, and not to mention our weapons-systems from the air...... the overall fire-power of this weapons-system is overwhelming, an could turn N. Korea into a small greasy-spot in Milli-seconds.... Ciao
leap frog, does your chest ever hurt from beating it so much ??
if North Korea feels compelled to test its ballistic missile technology, why doesn't the U.S. take that as an opportunity to test its missile defense system and shoot the thing down.
Because that's an act of war, and would probably involve us throwing a missile over China's mainland. We've already pissed off a lot of nations, lets take it easy here.
We wouldn't have to launch it over China. Japan and South Korea are close enough, and on the other side of NK.
As far as an act of war... meh. It'd be a lot less provocative than tossing a missle at the launch site, and we do have UN backing in this case...
US has conducted a policy of containment towards both Russia and China.
US has deployed anti-missile defense shield in Poland with the lame excuse of defending against possible Iranian missile strike. But in reality it is targeted at Russia.
US is perfectly aware and knowledgeable that NK is to launch a satellite and not missile testing. US deliberately lament it as missile test so that US can proceed with the installation ofl missile defense shields, through her proxy of Japan and SK. In reality it is targeted China.
US is making every effort in containing China from her peaceful rise.
There won't be a single effort by Russia or China to stop NK from this test. The only country that should have a right to intercede is South Korea and if South Korea said they were going to intercede, we'd be the first to ask them to stand down. North Korea will do another nuclear weapons test as well. And, we'll continue to send them aid while they spend all their own money and resources on advancement of their military capabilities to ultimately attack us. All because they know how weak and divided our leadership is and has been in this country since 2009. Doesn't take Nostradamus to figure this out.
Perry, who was weak and divided on 9/10/01???? Yeah, I thought so. All the clues were there and Bush took off for Florida.
Rob99 - Not at all saying it's Obama's fault. Obama doesn't have the rest of our leadership on the same page. They seem to undermine him at every turn, and none of them can agree on anything and act in concert. Wasn't meant to be a bash against Obama at all. North Korea, China and Russia all recognize this weakness in our government overall. I voted for Obama hoping he could change some of this. But, I do not blame him in any way.
Oh, okay. This would have happened who ever was President. :)
Actually, I really doubt North Korea knows or cares about the weakness of our leadership.
They're much more interested in the weakness of our military, which can wipe their entire country off the face of the planet if they were to attack us.
Interesting note, we actually haven't sent North Korea any aid since Obama took office.
Another guy who thinks history started in 2009.
Oh great Swanny. You still upset McCain and his douche bag, moose hunter assistant lost the election? You'll get over it some day, I promise you. Meanwhiles, you can vote for that disgusting fat body Newty.
Chuckster...reading comprehension FTW.
Maury; The US won't shoot it down because they don't want to hurt it. Besides I thought Hillary put a stop to this.So what is really going on?
Because the Air Force is sitting back watching it from Sattelites and eating popcorn saying "aww how cute, look at it fly"
Whip Wilson, Hillary wanted to use it as a Dildo or haven't you heard? That would put a real stop to it not to mention give it a nice clear coat.
What of it if they get the ability to launch nuclear warheads; only white men should have that capability to destroy other counties and the world?
Well, putting aside your racially tinged comment, the less people with that capability, the better. And of course, it's better that the countries that do have them are stable democracies not run by the military. North Korea hits all those red flags.
Our President is black. His finger is on the big red button. Moreover India has nukes, China has nukes, Egypt has nukes. Id continue but Ill get suspended for a day for saying what I think about your comment.
thatgaydownsouth, you forgot Israel, Pakistan, Russia, and soon Iran. Go ahead and say it. What's a few days suspencion. Can't live without the blog for a week?
Do you smoke crack? He's inferring that only white nations think they should get nukes. Im pointing out nations that aren't white, yet have nukes. Where do you see a logical flaw there?
No but I have smoked a piece pipe in the past. It was for religous perposes if you know what I mean. I don't know why you get so worked up at what an idiot has to say on these blogs. It's just for fun. Who gives a shiite what john Julius say's. The world does not revolve around him. Get a life! It's all clean fun. It's easy to push your buttons from what I can see. Even I'm doing it and laughing my a$$ off. Don't take the world so serious and you'll enjoy better.
Watch it just tip over
That would be sooo funny. It gets all fired up, they get all excited, and the rocket begins to lean to one side and down it goes. That would be a riot.
And it would be even better if, upon doing that, it went up in a massive explosion that took out Kim Un and his puppet master generals along with it as they watched from nearby.
they better watch it or obozo wont apologize anymore..
You're odviously not a truebro bro.
We're going to build a rocket if you don't send us free food. See, we built a rocket because you didn't send us any free food. Now, we're going to move the rocket to the launch pad if you don't send us free food. We really will shoot this thing if you don't send us free food. We promise you, we really will shoot it. We're about to shoot this rocket, now. Are you going to send us any free food? We really will shoot it soon if you don't get that free food here. We're hungry, so we spend millions of our poverty stricken nations money to build threatening military devices so someone will send us free food. We really mean to shoot this expensive rocket if nobody sends us any free food. We really will. Is anybody listening? Hello? Hello?
It's a pretty big target. Just saying.
Cant we send a drone in and take it out?
We COULD... but that'd be an awful big risk. South Korea tends to bear the brunt of retaliation whenever NK throws a tantrum.
They can feed their people Rockets to eat the dumb asses. What is it with such stupidity with this country & Iran the other.
This is what happens when you appease dictators and try to deal with them via peaceful means. And wouldn't you know it, other dictators take notice and do the same thing. Which is the direction we are headed in with Iran.
It is nice that the Russians are denouncing this, but what are they actually doing to get NK to stop?? Of course they are going to denounce it. They want to keep Obama happy so he gives them that missile defense shield deal Obama promised Putin (via Medvedv) just recently. But this missile launch and the continuing problems with Iran clearly demonstrate why it is that we need the shield. Especially if Russia and China are not willing/ able to reign in NK and Iran.
Where is Stuxnet , a well placed wrench or a loose O ring when you need it? How about Mr. Obama testing out some of those lasers we have been working on. Perhaps NK will get the message if this thing blows up about a 1000 feet off the launch pad.
Why would we deny the North Koreas the right to have space satellite for weather purposes. The US puts law breakers in prisons and we have more citizens in prison than all other countries together. When another country puts a law breaker in jail it is called a gulag. We have several million law breakers is our gulags just as other countries do. We always play on the fears of other, gulag or prisons. We have people in our gulags that have never been charge with anything, never gone to trial, so who has the worst system. And when it come to human rights the US expects miracles in the rest of the world while 50% of the US citizens live in poverty, have no home and are hungry. Romney says he is going to give these people the opportunity to be as rich as he is. The first think he will have to do is give millions of dollars to the parents of the people so they can pass on millions of dollars to their children just like his father did. Leave the North Koreans alone and quit trying to find a reason to kill several million of them over a weather satellite. God the US loves war, especially with countries that really do not have a military. It makes our military leaders puff out their chest so they can get another ribbon on their uniform for all the death and destruction they cause in the world at the bequest of the 1%.
I'm just going to go ahead and point out the most blatant of your logical fallacies and factual errors there:
North Korea has been banned by the UN from launching missiles, meaning that even Russian and China had consented to stopping them because they recognized how dangerous it is to have these maniacs testing their rocket technology.
North Korea imprisons people mainly for opposition to the regime. They have a great number of political prisoners.
50% of American citizens do not live in poverty by any reasonable measure of "poverty". I have no idea where some people keep pulling that statistic, but it is completely false. You take an extra incredulous step by including "have no home". Are you implying that 50% of the American population is homeless? A complete crock.
North Korea does have a military. It has the largest and best-equipped military in the world relative to its population and national wealth (both of which aren't that great).
America has quite obviously and deliberately NOT been going to war with North Korea for over a decade now, despite constant provocations and the fact that they've always been at war with a close ally of ours.
You can save your "1%" garbage for something about American politics or affairs, because our rich literally have no stake in North Korea at all. I know it's hard, but try thinking beyond silly class warfare ideals; the rich aren't actually the cause of all problems in the world.
The embarrassing part about all this is that apparently Obama has not fully decided to forego the food aid deal he just struck with NK a few weeks ago.