North Korean missile test, 1998

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other North Korean missile tests see North Korean missile tests

A North Korean missile test occurred on August 31, 1998. North Korea tested the Taepodong-1 missile. It flew past Japan and into the Pacific Ocean (south of Vladivostok, Russia and Northwest of Japan). North Korea said it was carrying a satellite called Kwangmyŏngsŏng. The missile was launched from the east coast of North Korea.

As a result of the test, Japan refused to sign an agreement on sharing the cost of providing safer nuclear reactors to North Korea and protested to the North Koreans.

The missile-firing was intended by North Korea as a show of power in advance of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Stalinist state.