DoD News Briefing
Tuesday, August 10, 1999
Presenter: Mr. Kenneth H. Bacon, ASD PA
.............
Q: Is there an indication that North Korea plans missile launches --imminent? That it might do it quickly? The United States has sent out two ships. I believe they're the same two that monitored the last launch.
Mr. Bacon: First...
Q: Are there indications, I guess is what I'm trying to say, that a missile launch might be near?
Mr. Bacon: We don't anticipate that there will be a missile launch within the next few days or even within the next few weeks at this stage. We're monitoring this very, very closely.
North Korea itself has talked about the possibility of a missile launch so we have to take the possibility of a missile launch seriously. And yes, an observation ship has left Hawaii on its way to the North Pacific so we will be in a position to monitor a launch should one occur.
We are also working very hard in conversations with North Korea to convince them that a missile launch would be a negative step, that it would have a negative impact on relations with us, on relations with Japan, and also clearly relations with South Korea. Those talks are ongoing.
Q: What are some of the negative impacts? What's the range of options there?
Mr. Bacon: I'm not going to get into the range of options. We have a wide range of options in our response to that, diplomatic options, economic options among them. And we've worked very hard to convince North Korea that it's in their interest and in the interest of regional stability not to carry out this missile test. North Korea will end up making its own decision, obviously, and it will have to live with the consequences of that decision.
But clearly already the Japanese are expressing concern about a missile test, and they have begun collaboration with us on research into a ballistic missile defense system. We anticipate that we'll sign a memorandum of understanding sometime this month with Japan outlining the procedures for collaborative research. And if Japan were to decide to go ahead with the ballistic missile defense system for our cooperation during a research and development and deployment stage.
Q: You mentioned several indicators of a pending North Korean missile test. I take it from those indicators that the talks, the three, I think, sessions they had on the periphery with bilaterals -- U.S. and Korea -- did not convince the North Koreans not to test. Is that an accurate...
Mr. Bacon: Maybe I missed something. Could you restate the indicators I mentioned?
Q: The indicators were the concern of Japan, the sending of the ships from Honolulu into the area, and the fact that there seems to be no positive indication about North Korean missile tests based on all those talks. Those are several indicators.
Mr. Bacon: First. What I said was that North Korea itself has talked about the possibility of a missile test. This isn't a secret. They have talked about the possibility of a missile test.
Second, Japan's concern is longstanding, particularly since last August 31st when North Korea launched a missile.
Third, we obviously take responsible actions to position ourselves to monitor tests that countries suggest they may be about to conduct.
Having said all that, I began my comments by saying that we don't expect anything to happen imminently.
Q: Imminently?
Mr. Bacon: Right.
Q: But you are saying, though, if I hear you correctly, that there was no assurance that came across at the four-party talks or the bilateral talks that said, from the North Korean side, that they were going to hold off on tests.
Mr. Bacon: Talks are continuing. I don't think I want to predict the outcome of the talks.
Q: Just to clarify, can you say has there been any -- you say a missile launch is not imminent. Has there been any assurance that there won't be while talks are continuing, or anything along those lines?
Mr. Bacon: Talks are continuing and I don't think any assurances have been given on either side at this stage.
I want to clarify one thing. The observation ships left Japan, not Hawaii, recently.
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Q: Can I just come back to North Korea for a second?
Mr. Bacon: Sure.
Q: You say that you have no reason to believe that there will be a missile test within the next few days or within the next few weeks. There were reports I believe over the weekend that some pipes have been laid to a potential launch site. There was, in fact, I think a report also that fuel may have been delivered to the launch site. Any accuracy to those reports?
Mr. Bacon: I can't comment on specific intelligence reports, but I stand with my earlier statement.
Q: What is it based on? Is there a missile at a site? Can you tell us?
Mr. Bacon: If I'm not going to get into the earlier reports, I'm not going to get into more detailed reports at this stage.
........
Thank you.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug1999/t08101999_t0810asd.html
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