Article posted: 12/13/2012 6:22 PM

N. Korea still years away from credible missiles

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South Korean navy sailors carry debris from a rocket launched by North Korea, in the Yellow Sea, off Gunsan, South Korea, on Wednesday. The debris is believed to be a fuel container of the first stage rocket.

Associated Press

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After 14 years of painstaking labor, North Korea finally has a rocket that can put a satellite in orbit. But that doesn't mean the reclusive country is close to having an intercontinental ballistic missile. Experts say Pyongyang is years from even having a shot at developing reliable missiles that could bombard the American mainland and other distant targets.