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Subscribe to RSSUS officials say an attempted rocket launch in North Korea ended in failure when the rocket broke up shortly after launch. NBC's Bob Windrem reports.
Updated at 10:50 a.m. ET: The United States has canceled a proposed food aid deal with North Korea following over its attempt to launch a long-range rocket taking a satellite into orbit.
Senior administration officials told NBC News the deal with Pyongyang is off after the rocket was fired. It failed shortly after launch and landed in the sea off the South Korea coast.
"We are not going forward with an agreement to provide them with any assistance," White House National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama to Florida.
He added that the U.S. and its allies will "take additional steps" if there are more "provocative actions."
Earlier, the G-8 group of countries on Friday condemned North Korea, and a leading Republican said even a failed test would help North Korea develop "technology capable of delivering a nuclear weapon that can threaten American cities tomorrow."
A U.S. official told NBC News that the launch was the fourth time the North Koreans had tried to launch this kind of missile, saying it should serve as a "real wake-up call" for the country's new regime.
In a statement, foreign ministers of the G-8 -- made up of the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, the U.K., Germany, France and Italy -- raised the possibility of action by the United Nations.
"We, the G-8 Foreign Ministers, condemn the launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which is a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718, and 1874," the statement said.
Reuters graphic showing the rocket's path
"Sharing the view that the launch undermines regional peace and stability, we call on the DPRK to abstain from further launches using ballistic missile technology or other actions which aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula," it added.
It said they were "ready to consider, with others, taking measures responding to all activities of the DPRK that violate U.N. Security Council Resolutions."
They said they might also call for what it described an "appropriate response" by the U.N. Security Council.
How will North Korea deal with failure?
The foreign ministers urged North Korea to abandon "all its nuclear weapons and its existing nuclear and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner," end its uranium enrichment activities, and take "concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization."
A U.S. official told NBC News that the missile had failed shortly after launch, before the news was confirmed by North Korea itself.
"The North Korean missile failed shortly after launch," the official said. "Think about it: This is the fourth failure to launch this missile as it was designed, and should serve as a real wake-up call for the new government."
North Korea rocket breaks up after much-touted launch
"Their efforts to draw attention to the program certainly seem to have backfired in this case," the official added. "Everyone will be watching closely to see how the government handles this first real test."
U.S. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl said in a statement that the missile launch was "yet another provocative action undertaken by the regime in Pyongyang."
"The rocket that the North Koreans attempted to launch employs technology that is relatively identical to that of a ballistic missile, including similar guidance and propulsion systems," he said. "Even a failed launch can provide useful information for North Korea's development of technology capable of delivering a nuclear weapon that can threaten American cities tomorrow."
He said the North Korean regime had "once again" demonstrated "complete disregard for international sanctions and its proclivity for worthless commitments."
Kyl said the Obama administration should "abandon its naive negotiations with North Korea (and Iran), and instead focus on fully funding missile defenses that can protect the United States from ballistic missile threats."
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the official North Korean news agency, KCNA, confirmed the rocket had failed to enter orbit about four hours after the launch.
KCNA said that the scientists and engineers were working to find out the cause of failure.
In Japan, there was relief at the failure, but local media were asking why it took the government 40 minutes to confirm the launch to the Japanese public.
NBC's Andrea Mitchell talks to Rachel Maddow about what the recent developments mean in the broader context of America's relationship with North Korea.
Japan's prime minister Yoshihiko Noda urged Pyongyang to abide by all United Nations resolutions and demanded that it takes concrete steps in resolving the various outstanding issues including their nuclear and missile development, as well as addressing the highly charged issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North korean agents.
Japan currently has various sanctions in place against North Korea, among them a ban of all exports and imports and also restricting entry of all North Korean vessels.
Arata Yamamoto, NBC News producer in Tokyo, contributed to this report.
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The North Korean government does something we don't like, so we punish its civilians.... how American.
No, the NK government is punishing it's own civilians. We don't owe them squat. It's up to their sawed off, egocentric leader to bring the country back from starvation, and spending those millions on failed rockets just isn't going to do it.
Americans are now officially the biggest idiots on Earth.. well OK I admit we knew that already... The poor North Koreans are trying to launch a satellite... not a weapon.... and as we all knew would not succeed. The Americans are two faced bastards. All I can say their time is up and it's time for the New World power to take over....
Who's that? The Syrians?
You'd better hope it's not the Illuminati, because people like you will be a priority on their hit list.
Hey. We warned them.
They want our food, they do what we say. Is that hard to understand?
You can't be for real Warren! It doesn't matter if they were trying to launch their Aunt Gerties dirty underware! It was in violation of an agreement they had made with the World Community! The second point that seems clear here is, if they can afford the tremendous expense necessary to finance this attempt, they could have also decided to feed their people instead! If they are this unconcerned with the welfare of their population why should the rest of the World entertain a greater one?
if America is so bad, get the f**k out and leave... your rhetoric has no cohesion here.
Warren, where did your hatred for America come from? And really? The poor NK's? What are you, a commie lover? I agree with Praziain, get out, leave, go live with your buddy Kim un fat head. I'm sure you would bring so much to the NK's.
Traitors like you make me sick. Whiny little b1tch punk.
We should always be prepared to negociate with North Korea. Negociation is cheaper than war. The last negociation cost us nothing. Of course the North Koreans are most untrustworthy, their committments are next to worthless. However, the goal here is lossen China's ties with North Korea. We reached an agreement and then the North Koreans break it by this crazy act. What we want is to have China loose their patience with North Koreans.
This was definitely a fiasco for North Korea. My hope is that the Chinese are pissed off at their ally's behavior. I also hope that this breeds discension in the North Korean rulling elite. We must continue to followup with more punative santions and actions. Of course santions don't do much but you want to hurt your enemy without sustaing any damage to yourself.
If better if you can achieve your goals with out war. Doesn't anyone read the "Art of War".
We may have to go to war with them at some point, but that probably isn't today. In the meantime try to weaken North Korea and make preparations.
I can't see us going to war with North Korea. It would be an awful waste of bombs.
negotiate is spelled with no "c" just saying
The Korean War of the early 1950's ended with an armistice signed after 2 years of talks. Nothing has changed since then. So why waste the effort and money expended negotiating with this government who cares for nothing except their own Communist agenda? They don't care about the welfare of their people AT ALL. I don't know what it will take to change that, if it ever is changed, but clearly, the North Koreans don't care about what anyone on the Earth cares about what they do. As with most dictatorships, it really has to be up to the people of that country to successfully get a new government in place and for whatever reason, that country doesn't seem up to making that change.
So let me get this straight. Korea tries to launch a satellite like we do on a regular basis and our response is to withhold food support to the starving people of North Korea? The Obama Administration has clearly lost its way.
No, clearly you don't understand history, or NK's intentions. And if you think any of the food would have reached the populace you're sadly lacking in gray matter.
Has N. Korea heard about our icbm missle defence system?
We are technically still at war with North Korea. We only have a cease-fire. Giving aid to North Korea isd "aiding and/or abeting the enemy." That's defining 'Treason.' Giving North Korea aid is treason.
Wouldn't be at all surprised if a U.S. cruiser isn't sitting out there somewhere shooting these missiles down.
If the US government has an ounce of backbone (which I don't know if it does), you're right.
maybe the u.s. goverment can use that money to help out the food network to feed our starving children here in the u.s.of a.
Whatever... in a few months they'll have famine and women and children dying from hunger and you'll have uproars to send aid again....... yeah this will work grandly..... what a bunch of idiots.
Whoever the editor of this article is should be fired. My d*mn smartphone has spell/grammar check. There is so little integrity in journalism these days that even basic language skills need not apply.
Nuclear power, nuclear bombs, ballistic missiles and satellites for me but not for thee.
Along with the self bestowed right to invade any country it wishes and commit any war crimes it wants with no accountability.
Because we're the good guys.
Sweet ain't it ? Is there a down side ?
War crimes are sweet? The downside is something called "blowback" and it comes in the form of 911 type terrorism.
Come back when you're serious.
Maybe this was a planned failed, to make the world think they are incompetent, trying to buy time like iran. they talk about them reaching the eastern seaboard, is there a reason they would want to kill the people who feed them, and ultimately be totally destroyed within hours after.....i don't really get it...
WTF!! We have homeless <b>families here without food</b> to eat, yet we can afford to send food to <em>North Korea,</em> while they piss away Millions on space rockets that can't even work, to impress the very ones thats feeding their people...??!
This entire piece if history is just another example of human insanity against itself. The Nk'ers wanna make something to hurt everyone. Everyone wants to stop th NK'ers. But how? I know! We'll starve the innocent people that are under they're gov't thumb. then the gov't will stop acting the way they are because they're own people aren't getting food. But wait....the people already aren't getting food. Nertz!!! We need a new plan... Anyone else wanna join me in building an interplanetary rocket and abandoning this sinking ship?
"US cancels food aid to North Korea after missile launch, warns of more sanctions"
Absolutely absurd that we borrow money from China and give to these communist idiots. MESSAGE TO REAL AMERICANS...WE MUST ROOT OUT ALL THE SOCIALIST-COMMUNIST SYMPATHIZERS IN THIS COUNTRY (AND GOVERNMENT) OR WE ARE DOOMED!
Starve the people who have nothing to do with the policies of the government..that'll show em!
Yes, keep their citizens well fed, so they have no reason to object to the corrupt government that is spending money on developing weapons and not on caring for the population. Support the citizens so the government can put more focus on building weapons.
i just dont understand why are we giving them food when it seems to me that they have plenty of money they only sent 4 rockets in the sky and they all failed . i think its time for them to stop treating there people like there scum. and we got to stop all the bull and put harder sacations on them
Granted it may be a Christian act to feed starving people. It may also be a stupid act to feed your enemies. We do this worldwide much to my amazement. If you hate us so bad then you must not want our food. We have given these countries food for years hoping they will see our humanitarian gesture so they like us. Guess what? They still hate us as they eat our food. When do we stop all this foreign aid to countries that hate us, or do not need our help? We are threatening to reduce aid to deserving American citizens such as old folks and ex-military folks who gave a good portion of their life to serve. Yes there are those who call what they receive entitlements like it is a bad word. In reality those so called entitlements were well earned. Giveaway foreign aid was not well earned. Those who defend Obama in saying that foreign aid only comprises 2% of our entire budget know its an accounting trick like they use when figuring unemployment. They want the figures to look good so they doctor them up.
Failure to Launch, metaphore for KJI's failed attempt at communism... The only NK's that will "suffer" from a cut off of food are the citizens. The government leaders take the lion share of the food to begin with and the slave labor they call citizens get scraps and the idiologic bs.
I bet that rocket was taken out by U.S. Forces and the NK's are too stupid to figure it out.
Target the government, NOT the people.
In the interest of fostering better relations with North Korea I think that the American Private Space Industrial Complex (APSIC) should head to North Korea to assist the North Koreans in designing rockets that are capable of sending satellites into space.
By doing so will create a Union between America and North Korea that will allow for better relations in the future.
Such a Union will also keep terrorist attacks from happening in that part of the world as the free world slowly encircles the Middle East so that the enemy, the terrorists can be coralled into one area and effectively dealt with.
Every advance that America and the free world can take in creating better relations with countries such as North Korea is a counter against the very terrorism that attacked us on 9.11.01.
Clap "Hands Wide Open"
I would not be surprised if we fired a laser at the rocket and brought it down. But we will never know, will we.. hahahaha
So we are agreed! The money should go for Socialist food stamps here in the US instead! Or just plain old handouts to food banks
Or maybe we should just return the tax money to the upper class for trickle down cash! Your choice
Sure, David. Return it to the upper class. At least they won't go to bed hungry tonight.
Of course Obama shouldn't reward North Korae with food that would just go to their military after they broke the UN resolution on ballistic missiles. You don't reward someone for breaking the law, now do you?
Liberal Democrats are weird so you never know.
"Between 1995 and 2009, the United States provided around $600 million inenergy assistance to North Korea. The aid was given over two time periods—1995-2003 and 2007-2009—in exchange for North Korea freezing its plutonium-based nuclear facilities."
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R40095.pdf
So under Republican congresses and 6 years of Bush's administration we provided $ 600 million in food aid to N. Korea.
Those 'liberal Democrats" ARE weird, huh?