north korea

Pentagon to view North Korea rocket launch as serious provocation
Pentagon held that both US and South Korea will consider a missile launch by North Korea as serious
provocation and will be seen as a violation of North Korea’s international obligations and standing
UNSC Resolutions. Both US and South Korea rechecked their mutual commitment to strongly monitor
North Korea’s efforts and to ascertain the defence of the Republic of Korea.
What is Pentagon (US)?








North Korea elects ‘Kim Jun Un’ as country’s leader
Kim Jun Un was elected by North Korea as the country’s supreme leader. Kim’s election to the top post
of the country came during the fifth session of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), where
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
delegates also named late leader Kim Jong Il as "eternal chairman" of the powerful National Defence Commission.







Japan orders missile defence systems for N Korean rocket
In response to the planned launch of a North Korean long-range rocket in April 2012, Japan ordered its
missile defence systems to be prepared. The Japanese Defence systems will be deployed near the island
of Okinawa to shoot down the rocket should it threaten Japanese territory. As per North Korea their
rocket will put a satellite into orbit. But the US and its allies believe the launch is a pretext for a missile
test. Japan is especially concerned as the last North Korean rocket was launched over the nation.






North Korea admits rocket launch malfunction
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
North Korea has accepted that the launch of its long range rocket was futile and a satellite planned to send into the
space has not entered into the orbit. North Korean scientists and technicians are looking into the reasons why the
satellite didn’t enter the orbit. The rocket – seen by many as a banned test of long-range missile technology – was
launched from north-west North Korea.
US, Japan and South Korea held that the North Korean rocket flew only for a short time before breaking up and
crashing into waters off the Korean Peninsula. South Korea held that the rocket exploded into some 20 pieces and fell
into the sea. US condemned the launch, despite its crash.










EU calls on N. Korea to abandon its planned rocket launch
North Korea has been called by the EU to abandon its planned rocket launch and strip its nuclear
weapons programme. Herman Van Rompuy (European Council President) expressed his grave concern
about N.Korea’s plan to launch a satellite into orbit in April 2012.
Mr Rompuy held that North Korea should be concerned with improving its human rights violations and hunger issues,
and not be focused on missiles and nuclear weapons.
North Korea maintained that it will go ahead with its mid-April launch, adding that it is a peaceful scientific project
meant to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of founding leader Kim Il Sung.




Rally in support of Kim Jong-Un
 On January 4, 2012, more than one lakh people rallied in support of new leader Kim Jong-Unin Korea. Kim Jong-
Un has been recently proclaimed the great successor of his father.