N Korea tests new missile to target US bases

Pak selling N-material to N Korea’

Pakistan is continuing to sell nuclear materials to North Korea, even as its urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), said US sources who track nuclear commerce. The officials said Pakistan Energy Commission has been supplying items like “Monel“ and “Inconel“ to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. They added that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities, like Beijing Suntech Technology Co. Ltd, have found their way to North Korea, and the China Atomic Energy Authority recently received a complaint on the matter. However, Chinese government hushed it up as it could have consequences for Beijing’s bid to support Pakistan at the NSG.

North Korea took a significant step in the development of a powerful ballistic missile intended to reach US bases in the Pacific, launching one of the weapons about 1,000 kilometers high after five failed attempts in recent months. The North’s suspected Musudan tests worry Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile’s potential 3,500-kilometer range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases there, within reach. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said the most recent launch demonstrated a `certain level of capability’, and could lead to a further strengthening of North Korea’s ballistic missile capabilities that can cover Japanese territory. Each new test -apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -likely provides valuable insights to the North’s scientists and military officials as they push toward their goal of a nuclear and missile programme that can threaten the US mainland. Pyongyang had conducted a nuclear test earlier this year and launched a long-range rocket that outsiders say was a cover for a test of banned missile technology.