On April 5, 2009 North Korea claimed a rocket launch was part of a peaceful space program designed to put a satellite into orbit, that no longer appears to be the case.

In late May 2009 North Korea began testing nuclear weapons and followed up with a series of subsequent short range missile tests off its coast. Both moves were condemned by the international community.

On May 27, 2009 North Korea made further moves toward a declaration of war by stating that it no longer felt bound by the 1953 armistice treaty that ended the Korean War.

North Korea added that it considered South Korea's involvement in a US-led anti-proliferation group to be an act of overt aggression that is in violation of the Korean War peace treaty. North Korea vowed to "respond with immediate strong military measures" should South Korea stop any of its ships in search of weapons of mass destruction.

The UN has not yet stepped in and the international community is left to watch and wait as tensions escalate between North Korea and allies South Korea and the United States. On June 19, 2009 the North Korean cargo ship Kang Nam en route to Hawaii caused the United States to set up missile defenses and created new tensions between the two countries.

The US suspects the Kang Nam may be carrying illicit weapons and wants to inspect the cargo ship. North Korea will not allow inspection and the UN passed a resolution against any militarized US boarding of the Kang Nam.

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