Was North Korea’s Missile Test Sabotaged by the US?

Was North Korea’s Missile Test Sabotaged by the US?
This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People's Army (KPA) during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. STR/AFP/Getty Images
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
|Updated:

North Korea carried out yet another missile test on Tuesday—but it didn’t take off as planned, reportedly blowing up immediately after launching.

“A missile appears to have exploded within seconds of launch,” Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Command, told Reuters.

If Benham’s assessment is accurate, the missile failure would be consistent with a report earlier this month that elaborated on a secret “cyberwar” targeting North Korea’s controversial missile and weapons programs.

According to a New York Times report in early March, the United States’ efforts may be able to sabotage test launches within a few seconds, consistent with Benham’s statement.

Before Donald Trump took office, then-President Obama was involved in infiltrating Pyongyang’s defense network. Three years ago, Obama ordered the Pentagon to ramp up cyber-attacks against Pyongyang.

President Barack Obama speaks during a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, on June 7, 2013. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama speaks during a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, on June 7, 2013. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
twitter