Updated: North Korea Has Launched Missiles

Breaking on CNN: reporter David Ensor announced that North Korea launched a "smaller and different missile" from a different pad than the location of the more notorious Taepodong-2 missile. Details about the functionality, purpose and reach of this smaller missile are unknown at this time.

developing...as they say...

Update: The military at NORAD has been on high alert today in preparation for such a launch.

A U.S. official familiar with the matter said the United States had been observing a second North Korean missile, possibly a shorter-range, SCUD-type.

The heightened "force protection" level was put in place in the past two weeks, said Kucharek, adding that he could not be more specific because details of the move were classified.

Update: BBC News is reporting that, according to Japanese media sources, the missile is not intercontinental.

Update: AP reports that the missile landed in the Japanese Sea.

TOKYO -- North Korea test-launched a missile early Wednesday morning that landed in the Sea of Japan, Japanese media reported.

North Korea launched the missile at 3:32 a.m. and it crashed into the Sea of Japan several minutes later, public broadcaster NHK reported.

NHK said Japanese government officials were trying to determine whether the missile was a long-range ballistic missile that had been readied for launch recently, or whether it was a different missile.

North Korea had been believed to be preparing a test launch of its Taepodong 2 missile, which is believed able to reach parts of the United States.

Officials were not immediately available to confirm the report.

Update: CNN's David Ensor is now reporting that another (2nd) missile has been launched by N Korea.

More from David Ensor who now says a 3rd missile has been fired: 'This is becoming serious'.

There is the possibility of an emergency UN Security Council meeting this evening. (That probbaly won't happen until Wednesday, reporters now say).

North Korea has now, reportedly, launched a long-range Taepodong-2 missile (the third missile). Apparently, the missile failed in mid-air, according to CNN.

Sidebar: Let's hope this affects Bush and the Republicans negatively as they have done everything possible to avoid dealing directly with N Korea since Bush has been in power. This is yet more proof that Bush cannot protect the national security of the US. The long-range missile may have failed, but Americans need to think about the fact that it could very well have succeeded - possibly hitting Alaska or more southern points on the continent like my province or Washington state. This is also not the time for Canada's Conservative prime minister to be timid or to back away from criticizing his new American buddy when he meets with Bush on Thursday.

Update: Bushco now says that five six missiles were fired.