Experts from the United States will arrive in the Czech Republic next week to examine locations for possible U.S. missile-defense base, the Czech Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
India's first test-firing of a new missile designed to carry nuclear warheads across much of Asia and the Middle East was unsuccessful, the defense minister said. Although initially reported as a success by officials, the Agni III missile plunged into the Bay of Bengal short of its target, Defense Pranab Mukherjee told reporters late Sunday.
Just a few hours after North Korea's missile tests, hundreds of South Korean tourists boarded buses for a mountain resort on North Korea's east coast less than 60 miles south of one of the reported launch sites.
Intelligence suggests North Korea could have another long-range Taepodong-2 at a launch site, but a test does not appear imminent, a news report quoted South Korea's defense minister as saying Friday.
North Korea targeted waters near Hawaii when it fired a long-range missile this week, a Japanese newspaper reported Friday.
North Korea's test-firing of a stream of missiles harmlessly into the sea appeared to be a military failure, but it achieved one important objective for Pyongyang: it got worldwide attention.
North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor that began when the reclusive regime defied international protests by launching a long-range missile and at least five shorter-range rockets earlier in the day.
A timeline on missile development in North Korea.
North Korea test-launched six missiles including a long-range Taepodong in an early morning barrage Wednesday that came in defiance of international warnings of retaliation. A North Korean official insisted that the country has the right to such a launch, raising concern it is preparing more missile tests.
Japanese broadcaster NHK says North Korea has test-launched a missile.
South Korea is considering buying U.S. shipborne SM-2 missiles to bolster its missile-defense system, a South Korean government official said Monday.
Russia test-fired a ballistic missile Friday from a submarine in the Barents Sea to the Kamchatka peninsula in the country's far east, defense officials said.
China's premier urged North Korea on Wednesday to desist from firing a long-range missile, while South Korea called on the United States to talk directly with North Korea to forestall a launch.
South Korea's foreign minister urged China to use its influence to dissuade North Korea from testing a long-range missile, but Western diplomats on Tuesday questioned Beijing's influence over the reclusive communist state.
Tokyo and Washington have agreed to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles on American bases in Japan for the first time, officials said Monday amid concerns North Korea may be preparing to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile.
Japan said Sunday that "all options" would be considered against North Korea, including oil and food sanctions, if the communist country tests a long-range missile that could reach the United States.
Many Asian nations would cheer if the Americans shot down a long-range missile tested by North Korea, but a failure would raise unsettling questions for allies that rely on the U.S. military umbrella.
The global jitters over suspected North Korean preparation to test a ballistic missile have underscored how little the world knows about Pyongyang's intentions, its missile capabilities or even what kind of rocket fuel it uses.
Developments Friday in the global reaction to a possible long-range missile launch by North Korea:
North Korea gave no hint of whether it will fire a long-range missile as widely feared, a New Zealand diplomat who visited Pyongyang said Saturday. A top U.S. defense official expressed confidence the United States could intercept a missile from the North.
Japan and the United States signed an agreement Friday to expand their cooperation on a joint ballistic missile defense shield, moving to protect themselves amid signs North Korea could test a ballistic missile.
Many Japanese in the aftermath of the Cold War seriously questioned their country's security alliance with the United States. A decade later, those voices are a lot softer, and one nation deserves much of the credit: North Korea.
The United States and Japan agreed Friday to strengthen cooperation on missile defense amid concerns of a possible long-range rocket launch by North Korea.
The Alaskan coastal village of Hooper Bay is about 3,200 miles from North Korea's intercontinental missile. For some in the Bering Sea town, that's a bit too close for comfort.
China said publicly Thursday it was deeply concerned over a possible long-range missile launch by North Korea, while Russia summoned Pyongyang's ambassador in Moscow to express its alarm.