A successful launch of a long-range missile by North Korea could lead to its sale to other countries, including Iran, US military officials and other analysts fear.The missile, expected to be launched as early as Saturday, could have the capability of reaching the United States and parts of Western Europe but the Wall Street Journal said the officials and analysts are more worried about its sale to other countries.This is because, they opine, North Korea is unlikely to use such missiles.
A successful launch of a long-range missile, after two failures, would validate three decades of investment and work by North Korea, the Journal said, adding that it could also boost one of the country’s few major sources of income,selling weapons to other countries.
On Monday, the US deployed two missile-interceptor ships from South Korea to monitor the North’s launch. US officials have ruled out shooting down the North’s projectile.A Japanese newspaper, Sankei Shimbun, reported yesterday that a group of 15 Iranian scientists and military experts arrived in North Korea to help with the test. The paper didn’t name sources for the report and officials in South Korea said they couldn’t confirm it, the Journal reported.