AFTER FIVE FLOPS, NORTH KOREA STAGES SUCCESSFUL MID- RANGE MISSILE TEST

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA North Korea endured international humiliation with five failed l aunches i n about two months before it finally pulled off what appears to be a successful test of a powerful new mid-range missile.

The latest development came Wednesday, with backto- back launches of what Seoul, Tokyo and Washington believe are Musudan missiles, the second of which appeared to succeed.

Leader Kim Jong Un may have turned up the pressure on his scientists and military with his very public order in March to push ahead with more nuclear and missile tests. Such a burden from a boss who has shown a willingness to use violence against his underlings — ordering even his own uncle’s execution — may toss normal scientific patience out the window.

Five of the North’s six suspected Musudan launches failed, many exploding in mid- air or crashing. The sixth on Wednesday flew about 1,000 kilometres high and a distance of about 400 kilometres, South Korean and Japanese officials said. That indicated a success for some observers.

The North’s repeated tests of the Musudan worry Washington because the missile’s potential 3,500- kilometre range puts a lot of Asia and the Pacific, including U. S. military bases, within reach.