DPRK July 4th Fireworks?

UPDATE III: For all the latest updates, see Marmot’s Hole.

UPDATE II: From a Japanese politics BBS…

UPDATE: Exact details remain sketchy, but here’s what I take from reading a dozen or so stories: three (possibly four or six) missiles were launched. Two were short-range and landed in the Sea of Japan; one of those apparently landed closer to Russia than Japan, but both appear to be outside of any nation’s territorial waters (unconfirmed). A third missile, the long range T2, apparently failed 90 seconds after launch. As the first rocket booster would apparently last for about 90 seconds, this likely means that the second stage either 1.) malfunctioned or 2.) was not fueled. The first two missiles may have fired simultaneously to see what Japan/ROK/US technology could detect.

ORIGINAL POST: Breaking news:

Reports North Korea Fires Missile

There are reports North Korea has fired a missile but not the intercontinental missile being monitored by the US.

A Japanese television station reports a missile has landed in the Japan Sea, six hundred kilometres from the mainland.

Last month, the US warned it would “punish” North Korea if it test-fired a Taepodong-2 rocket, which has a range of 6,000 kilometres.