First picture of North Korean rocket – but no sign of satellite

Published: April 7, 2009 at 7:09pm
Now that Mintoff has one foot in the grave, I'm free to see the world

Now that Mintoff has one foot in the grave, I'm free to see the world

The Times (London) reports today that a US research institute has released the first photographs of Sunday’s launch of North Korea’s rocket. They show the rocket’s smoke trail and the fiery trail of the projectile. But where did the rocket end up?

North Korea repeats its claim that the launch was successful, but it is a hallmark of communist dictatorships never to admit defeat or failure in public. It named the rocket after one of the titles bestowed on Kim Jong Il.

“Our satellite is transmitting the immortal revolutionary paeans The Song of General Kim Il Sung and The Song of General Kim Jong Il as well as measured information to the earth,” the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The Song of General Kim Il Sung goes: “Liberator of the working people. Democratic new Korea, great sun/We rally around the twenty principles/Everywhere in North Korea is spring.”

The same newspaper reports that according to the US military, the North Korean rocket flew safely over Japan and pitched into the Pacific Ocean after a journey of 3,200km.

South Korea claims that North Korea depends on published reports from the enemy US military to find out what happened to its own rocket, because it lacks the technology to track it. South Korean newspapers also reported – with delight – that the ship dispatched by North Korea to monitor the rocket’s flight had to turn back because of mechanical problems, while an airplane sent on the same mission crashed because of poor maintenance.

Meanwhile, back home in North Korea, Kim Jong Il gave a speech in which he expressed regret that more resources could not be devoted to keeping people safe from starvation, because space programmes are so expensive:

“While preparing for this proud victory, the General felt regret that more resources could not be used for the people’s livelihood but said that the people would understand him,” a newspaper there reported. “Our hearts are rent by the General’s remarks.”




9 Comments Comment

  1. Daphne Caruana Galizia says:

    Chrysander Agius is going to have a cult following, though not the kind he wants, I suspect. Get the latest news from the Sander blog on maltastar: he’s been to bed with his wife.

    http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=892

    • S. Calleja says:

      Do you actually manage to read his blog till the end? After the first couple of paragraphs, my mind is already wandering off to something else. His ideas are boring and his style of writing totally non-captivating. I can’t really brag about my mastery of English, but his grammar and sentence formulation remind me of essays I used to write when I was 9 years old.

  2. jomar42 says:

    Maybe ol’ friend Dom can help out with a few thousand euros – money he got for his Gharix at Delimara. After all, when he went cap in hand begging, the Koreans obliged with a few used weapons and army training manuals.

  3. Leonard says:

    A man lies awake in bed with his brain brewing while his wife is busy snoring. This marriage has problems.

  4. H.P. Baxxter says:

    He was sixteen when he discovered Independence Day. Never have I seen a man trying so hard to convince us he’s a moron.

    [Daphne – Yes, I noticed that. And you have to bear in mind that he was born in 1977, which means that between the age of 10 and 16, there was a Nationalist government and Independence Day was a public holiday. Did he never think to ask why?]

    • H.P. Baxxter says:

      Maybe he was too busy experimenting with himself. But seriously, there are these things called political leanings, and opinions, and beliefs. Now when someone says they’d never heard of Independence Day, because they “come from a Labour” family, I don’t say “Oh well he’s entitled to his political opinion”. I say “here’s a self-confessed ignoramus, who seems to be proud of it.” You mark my words, Malta’s future is very bleak indeed if this sort of pride in one’s idiocy is allowed to fester. Our print media and television are crammed full of it. Xarabank is a case in point.

  5. H.P. Baxxter says:

    Rejoice! Is-Salva…er, Dear Leader is back:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7991151.stm

  6. Bormliz says:

    Maybe Sander could also learn to spell independence (not indipendence) now that he seems to have finally discovered it.

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