CNS Resources on North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Program:
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North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Program
4 January 1999
A Japanese Defense Agency report states that North Korea may have deployed medium-range ballistic missiles and has constructed several launch facilities. The report also states it is very probable that North Korea has fully developed and deployed its No-dong-1 ballistic missile.
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 4 January 1999, www.scmp.com.
4 January 1999
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka says that Japan has no conclusive information that North Korea has deployed No-dong-1 ballistic missiles on an operational basis.
FBIS Document 01041999001379, 4 January 1999, Kyodo (Tokyo).
6 January 1999
Japanese government sources say that North Korea is planning to deploy missiles at 10 different sites, including some sites still under construction.
Chosun Ilbo (Seoul), 6 January 1999.
19 January 1999
US Pacific Command announces that the United States has yet to detect any signs that North Korea is preparing to launch another ballistic missile.
Pacific Stars and Stripes, 20 January 1999, p.1.
22 January 1999
The director of Japan’s foreign ministry’s North Korean division demands an end to North Korea’s ballistic missile test in a meeting with North Korea’s deputy head of the UN mission in New York.
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 22 January 1999, www.scmp.com.
3 February 1999
CIA director George Tenet says that North Korea is developing a new generation of missiles that could deliver larger payloads to the continental United States.
James Risen, New York Times, 3 February 1999, www.nytimes.com.
6 February 1999
Sources in the South Korean government indicate that North Korea could possibly overcome the shortcomings of the Taep’o-dong-1 missile launch within a few months.
JoongAng Ilbo (Seoul), 6 February 1999, www.joongang.co.kr.
8 February 1999
The Korean Central News Agency announces that North Korea “will never give up” its “sovereign right” to build and launch missiles.
Jim Lea, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 9 February 1999, p. 3.
9 February 1999
US deputy assistant secretary for nonproliferation at the state department Robert Einhorn states that the US has yet to detect any signs that North Korea is getting ready to launch another missile.
Washington Post, 9 February 1999, p. 10.
17 February 1999
Japan’s Defense Agency says that North Korea has the technological capability to launch a long-range ballistic missile that could hit parts of the United States.
Pacific Stars and Stripes, 18 February 1999, p.3.
24 February 1999
US intelligence reports suggest that China may be assisting North Korea in its missile program through the transfer of dual-use satellite technology.
Bill Gertz, Washington Times, 24 February 1999, p.3.
24 February 1999
The Japanese Defense Agency reports that North Korea does not have the capability to miniaturize nuclear warheads for its ballistic missiles.
Mainichi Shimbun (Tokyo), 24 February 1999, p.1; in FBIS Document FTS19990225000868, 25 February 1999.
1 March 1999
North Korea warns Japan that Japanese satellites in space are vulnerable to missile attack and could become targets, depending on Japan’s attitude and actions toward North Korea.
AFP, 1 March 1999; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, 12 March 1999, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
6-7 March 1999
Japan holds secret, informal talks with North Korea in Singapore to discuss limits on North Korea’s missile program.
Kyodo News Service (Tokyo), 11 March 1999.
12 March 1999
According to Japanese sources, North Korean scientists and engineers working on the Taep’o-dong missile program receive orders to “stand down” and halt preparations for a possible missile launch.
Bungo Osawa, Mainichi Shimbun (Tokyo), 13 March 1999, p.3; in FBIS Document FTS19990313000938, 13 March 1999.
19 March 1999
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) denies that North Korea has obtained missile technology from China.
Korean Central News Agency (Pyongyang), 19 March 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990319000514, 19 March 1999.
22 March 1999
Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi announces that Japan has made North Korea aware of the importance of the August 1998 missile launch and that there will not be a second North Korean missile launch.
Asahi Perfect (Tokyo), 23 March 1999, http://justnet.asahi.com.
25 March 1999
South Korea reports that North Korea has four missile factories and 10 missile bases and possibly as many as eight factories and 12 bases, with more under construction. The report also states that North Korea is capable of producing more than 100 Scud-type missile annually.
Yonhap (Seoul), 25 March 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990324002145, 25 March 1999.
28 March 1999
US intelligence reports that North Korea has deployed No-dong ballistic missiles mounted on motorized vehicles near the North Korean-Chinese border.
AFP, 28 March 1999
31 March 1999
A North Korean foreign ministry official declares that North Korea has a “legitimate right of self-defense to develop, test, and produce missiles by its own efforts and defend the security” of North Korea. The official condemns the United States for using the North Korean missile threat as a justification for constructing a national missile defense system (NMD).
Korean Central News Agency (Pyongyang), 31 March 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990331000440, 31 March 1999.
31 March 1999
At the close of the fourth round of US-North Korean missile talks, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn announces that North Korea has offered to suspend its missile exports in exchange for cash compensation from the United States. Einhorn says that the North Korean proposal is unacceptable, but that the United States has offered to lift economic sanctions on North Korea in successive stages if North Korea pledges to cooperate on missile issues. Einhorn also warns North Korea that another missile launch will have negative consequences. South Korean Minister of Unification Kan In-duk tells the South Korean national assembly that North Korea is demanding $500 million in annual compensation to stop missile exports.
Yonhap (Seoul), 31 March 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990331000150, 31 March 1999.
2 April 1999
Senior US officials say that North Korea has shipped “missiles, missile technology, and parts produced by its advanced ballistic program” to “countries such as Iran and Pakistan” and that North Korea earns about $100 million annually from missile sales.
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 3 April 1999; in Inquisit, 3 April 1999, www.inquisit.com.
25 May 1999
US policy coordinator for North Korea William Perry visits North Korea and proposes a package deal from the United States, Japan, and South Korea to end economic sanctions, provide economic assistance, and establish diplomatic relations with North Korea in exchange for an end to North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs.
Son Key-young, Korea Times (Seoul), 21 May 1999, www.koreatimes.co.kr.
11 June 1999
Speaking at an academic conference, former South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-koo reveals that North Korea has deployed 20 surface-to-air missiles with a range of 250km that can be used in a surface-to-surface role along the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Lee also says that North Korean FROG-5 and -7 surface-to-surface rockets deployed along the DMZ can be equipped with chemical warheads.
Yonhap (Seoul), 11 June 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990611000729, 11 June 1999.
15 June 1999
A Japanese government official discloses that North Korea is preparing for another Taep’o-dong missile test by expanding its launch facilities. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka denies reports that Japan has information that a North Korean launch is imminent.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Tokyo), 16 June 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990615001749, 15 June 1999; Kyodo News Service (Tokyo), 16 June 1999; in FBIS Document FTS19990616000062, 16 June 1999.
17 June 1999
US intelligence reports that North Korea conducted propulsion tests for the Taep’o-dong-2 missile in April or May 1999 and confirms that North Korea is refurbishing its missile launch pad, and is transporting rocket fuel to storage depots; however, a launch is not imminent.
Reuters, 18 June 1999; in South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 18 June 1999, www.scmp.com.
24 June 1999
US Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth warns North Korea that it will suffer “very serious consequences” if it launches another ballistic missile.
George Gedda, AP, 24 June 1999; in Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, 28 June 1999, www.nautilus.org.
25 June 1999
India detains the North Korean ship Ku Wol San at Kandla. Indian officials discover 148 crates containing machinery, blueprints, and parts for developing and building ballistic missiles. It is believed that the cargo’s destination is Pakistan.
Mihir Mistry, Times of India (Delhi), 5 July 1999, www.timesofindia.com; Express India, 11 July 1999, www.expressindia.com.
26 June 1999
The United States, Japan, and South Korea agree to cooperate to avert a North Korean missile launch. The three countries pledge to push North Korea to respond to the proposals made by US policy coordinator for North Korea William Perry in May 1999.
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 28 June 1999, www.scmp.com.
28 June 1999
South Korea reveals that a fifth round of US-North Korean missile nonproliferation talks could begin as early as July 1999. US special envoy Charles Kartman proposed the talks during a mid-June 1999 meeting with North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye-gwan.
Jun Kwan-woo, Korea Herald (Seoul), 28 June 1999; in Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, 29 June 1999, www.nautilus.org.
30 June 1999
US deputy assistant defense secretary for Asia Kurt Campbell announces that the United States is trying to prevent North Korea from testing a Taep’o-dong missile and is using “intensive diplomacy to dissuade North Korea from taking an action which will have very real consequences for our ability and our desire to engage North Korea.”
Bill Gertz, Washington Times, 1 July 1999, www.washtimes.com.
30 June 1999
Japanese foreign minister Masahiko Komura reports to the Japanese parliament that North Korea has deployed at least 10 No-dong missiles.
AP, 30 June 1999.
3 July 1999
Japanese envoy Yasushi Akashi returns from a visit to North Korea and states that North Korean officials informed him that North Korea is “ready” to launch a rocket, but did not say if or when it would be launched. He says North Korea believes that if China and Japan can launch satellites, it should have the same right.
Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, 4 July 1999, www.nytimes.com.
4 July 1999
An unidentified South Korean government official says that North Korea has offered to halt preparations for a Taep’o-dong missile test in exchange for undisclosed concessions from the United States. The North Korean offer was allegedly made by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye-gwan during talks with US special envoy Charles Kartman in mid-June 1999.
Kyodo News Service (Tokyo), 4 July 1999; in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, 4 July 1999, http://web.lexis-nexis.com.
6 July 1999
Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura announces that a major focus of Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi’s trip to mainland Asia in early July 1999 will be to encourage countries including China to press North Korea not to conduct missile tests. Japan indicates that it will take diplomatic action including possible suspension of $1 billion in funds for KEDO if North Korea launches a missile.
AFP, 6 July 1999; in Inside China Today, 6 July 1999, www.insidechina.com; Jim Lea, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 6 July 1999, p.1.
6 July 1999
South Korea discloses that North Korea is building a new missile base with 10 launch towers for the Taep’o-dong or No-dong missiles at Youngjodong in Yanggang province, 20km from the North Korean-Chinese border. The facility is strategically located to make it difficult to attack with precision munitions or cruise missiles.
Yoo Yong-won, Chosun Ilbo (Seoul), 7 July 1999, www.chosun.com.
6 July 1999
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung says that if North Korea tests a missile, South Korea will “take considerable countermeasures” against it. Kim indicates that these countermeasures do not include ending South Korea’s commitment to KEDO or the “sunshine policy” of engaging North Korea.
Son Key-young, Korea Times (Seoul), 7 July 1999, www.koreatimes.co.kr.
7 July 1999
The United States announces that North Korea has shown no signs of slowing or stopping its preparations for a missile launch.
JoongAng Ilbo (Seoul), 7 July 1999, http://english.joongang.co.kr.
10 July 1999
US Senator Robert Toricelli travels to North Korea and meets with North Korean Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kim Gye-gwan to discuss the possible forthcoming missile launch. After the meeting, Toricelli says, “Despite the illogic and enormous setback that I believe will ensue, the North Koreans may indeed proceed with the firing of a multi-stage rocket this summer.”
Jim Lea, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 13 July 1999, p.1.
13 July 1999
South Korean intelligence reports that North Korea has increased the height of the launch tower at its launch site at Musudan-ri by 20m for the expected Taep’o-dong-2 missile launch in late August 1999. South Korean intelligence also reports that North Korea has leased Thailand’s Thaicom 1A satellite equipped with GPS equipment for missile flight path plotting. The Taep-o’dong-2 is believed to have a range of 2,400 miles.
Jim Lea, Pacific Stars and Stripes, 13 July 1999, p.1.
