Mapping the reach of North Korean missiles
▻http://blogs.reuters.com/data-dive/2015/04/09/mapping-the-reach-of-north-korean-missiles
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter’s arrival in Southeast Asia this week was met with fireworks. But while the short-range missiles fired by North Korea into the Sea of Japan may have been sent with portentous intent, Carter took them in stride. “If it was a welcoming message to me, I’m flattered,” Carter quipped.
North Korea’s ambitions for long-range weapons are of graver concern. As this Reuters graphic shows, North Korea’s three types of operational ballistic missiles possess relatively limited range, with a maximum reach of 800 miles. That’s close enough to worry Japan, but when discussion shifts to Pyongyang’s aspirations for a working long-range missile, U.S. concern dilates appropriately.