Timeline: North Korea's missile programme

North Korea announced Friday it plans to launch a long-range rocket mounted with a satellite next month, a surprise move that comes weeks after it agreed to nuclear concessions including a moratorium on long-range missile tests. Here’s a timeline of its missile programme. 31 August, 1998: North Korea fires suspected missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, calling it a satellite. 13 September, 1999: North Korea pledges to freeze long-range missile tests. 10 March, 2003: North Korea fires a land-to-ship missile off east coast into waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan. October 2003: North Korea fires two land-to-ship missiles. May 2005: North Korea fires a short-range missile into waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan. 8 March 8, 2006: North Korea fires two short-range missiles. [caption id=“attachment_246811” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“AP”]  [/caption] 5 July, 2006: North Korea launches seven missiles into waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, including a long-range Taepodong-2. 15 July, 2006: UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1695 demanding North Korea halt missile program. 9 October, 2006: North Korea conducts underground nuclear test blast after citing “extreme threat of a nuclear war” from US. 15 October, 2006: UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1718 condemning test, imposing sanctions and banning North Korea from activities related to its nuclear weapons program, including “their means of delivery.” 14 July, 2007: North Korea shuts down its main Yongbyon reactor, later starts disabling it. 19 September, 2008: North Korea says it is restoring a key atomic reactor. 11 October: US removes North Korea from a list of states that sponsor terrorism. 5 April, 2009: North Korea launches a long-range rocket. 13 April 13, 2009: UN Security Council adopts a presidential statement condemning North Korea’s rocket launch. 14 April, 2009: North Korea quits six-party nuclear talks and vows to restart its nuclear facilities in protest against the UN statement. 25 May, 2009: North Korea conducts its second nuclear test. 12 June, 2009: UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1874 sanctioning North Korea for its nuclear test. 11 January, 2012: North Korea test fires three short-range missiles. 29 February, 2012: North Korea announces a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests in a food aid deal with US. 16 March, 2012: North Korea says it will launch a long-range rocket in April to put a scientific satellite into orbit. AP