“The Obama administration is reacting to the anticipated launch of another North Korean long-range ballistic missile, expected to fly over the Pacific toward Hawaii sometime soon, by putting missile defense on alert…That’s a big change from last time.

“Back in April, in advance of North Korea’s last missile test, the administration pretty much pooh-poohed the threat posed by the Taepo Dong launch, characterizing Pyongyang’s saber-rattling as bluster.

“Indeed, from all outward indications, Team Obama did just about nothing but bloviate to defend US territory and interests from the missile that, by almost all accounts, has the potential to reach the western United States.”

Brookes notes that Obama’s “charm offensive” against North Korea hasn’t worked, so the administration apparently decided to toughen its stance. More important, missile defense is effective, and in light of North Korea’s bold talk and actions, shoring up our missile defense will keep us from appearing weak on national security.

“The good news is the Bush administration kept its promise to develop and deploy missile defense to protect us against an expanding nuke and missile threat,” Brookes writes. “Otherwise, we’d now be completely vulnerable to North Korean missiles.”

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In 1998, North Korea test-launched a Taepodong-1 missile over Japan and a Taepodong-2 missile in 2006. The second launch failed.

Additionally, there’s a disarmament-for-aid deal in the works, and U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill is in North Korea to try to convince North and South Korea to compromise. The U.S. wants North Korea to accept a verification system for its nuclear weapons, and the country wants the U.S. to remove it from a state terrorist sponsors list. So far, North Korea refuses to allow inspections, and the U.S. says it cannot remove the country from the terrorist blacklist until it agrees to the verification.

(Sources: AFP and the Guardian - AFP photo)

North Korea tested nukes in October 2006. Last year, North Korea claimed it halted preparations for its main nuclear facility, which the International Atomic Energy Agency later confirmed after an inspection.

In other news, South Korea has begun deploying Advanced Patriot missile defense systems from Germany to South Korean Air Force bases, reports The Korea Times. The move is believed to be in response to North Korea’s missile threat. The defiant country may have deployed over 600 Scud missiles and 200 Rodong missiles capable of reaching Japan.

South Korea has plans to build a missile defense shield called Korean air and missile defense, which it hopes will protect against low-flying and short- and medium-range missiles coming from North Korea. The shield may be completed by 2012.

(Sources: AFP and The Korea Times)