Today’s launch by North Korea of an Unha-3 (or Taepodong-2) long-range rocket is already drawing strong negative reactions from many governments. Numerous states as well as the United Nations had urged North Korea not to proceed with the launch after it announced its plans in early December.
Many experts consider this launch, like earlier ‘satellite launches’, to be a test launch as part of a North Korean programme to develop a long-range ballistic missile, perhaps to be used with a nuclear warhead.
However successful today’s launch was, it does not mean that North Korea has, or is anywhere near having, the capability to launch a long-range ballistic missile strike, especially a nuclear-armed one, say SIPRI researchers Siemon T. Wezeman and Vitaly Fedchenko in the latest SIPRI Expert Comment.