North Korean Failure

North Korea attempted to launch a satellite yesterday, but the rocket failed soon after liftoff, and the vehicle crashed into the sea.

Several nations had protested the launch, seeing North Korea's space program as a cover for an effort to develop missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads to the United States, for example. The U. S. and North Korea, recall, are still technically at war. Upon confirmation of the attempt, President Obama stated that even though the mission failed the attempt still represented a threat to security. He therefore canceled the next shipment of food to North Korea. Almost certainly, that will harm people who have no control over what Pyongyang does.

In a break with the past, North Korean television informed its viewers of the rocket's failure. Maybe the new young ruler will have a different approach to governing-- or maybe acknowledging the failure is the requisite first step towards blaming others for it.