NKorean long-range missile aimed toward Hawaii: reports

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Mon, 10 Jul 2006, 01:10

The Taepodong-2 long-range missile fired by North Korea this week appears to have been aimed toward waters near Hawaii, Japanese media reported Friday.

Japan's Defense Agency and the US military analyzed the course of the missile with data collected by an Aegis destroyer and a spy plane and made the conclusion based on its angle and altitude reached, the Sankei Shimbun said.

Japanese government sources believe Pyongyang was trying to show that the United States was in range of the missile, the daily said.

The Kyodo News agency quoted a Japanese government source as saying: "It was probably targeted toward the direction of Hawaii."

North Korea ended a self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile tests Wednesday by launching a Taepodong-2 along with six shorter-range missiles.

The Taepodong-2 splashed down in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) after about 42 seconds in an apparent failure, though the North declared the tests a success.