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The Associated Press

Sunday, April 5, 2009; 12:40 AM

-- A timeline of developments in North Korea's

missile program:

_ Aug. 31, 1998: North Korea fires suspected missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, calling it a satellite.

_ Sept. 13, 1999: North Korea pledges to freeze long-range missile tests.

_ June 2001: North Korea warns it will reconsider missile test moratorium if Washington doesn't resume contacts aimed at normalizing relations.

_ July 2001: U.S. State Department reports North Korea developing long-range missile.

_ September 2002: North Korea pledges in summit talks with Japan to extend its moratorium on missile tests beyond 2003.

_ Jan. 10, 2003: North Korea announces withdrawal from Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

_ March 10, 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 2004: North Korea reaffirms its missile moratorium in summit talks with Japan.

_ May 2005: North Korea fires a short-range missile into waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan.

_ March 8, 2006: North Korea fires two short-range missiles.

_ June 18, 2006: North Korea vows to increase its "military deterrent" to cope with what it calls U.S. attempts to provoke war.

_ July 5, 2006: North Korea launches seven missiles into waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, including a long-range Taepodong-2.

_ July 15, 2006: U.N. Security Council adopts Resolution 1695 demanding North Korea halt missile program.

_ Oct. 9, 2006: North Korea conducts underground nuclear test blast after citing "extreme threat of a nuclear war" from U.S.

_ Oct. 15, 2006: U.N. 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 and related materials."

_ July 14, 2007: North Korea shuts down its main Yongbyon reactor, later starts disabling it.

_ June 27, 2008: North Korea destroys cooling tower at Yongbyon.

_ Sept. 19, 2008: North Korea says it is restoring a key atomic reactor.

_ Oct. 11, 2008: U.S. removes North Korea from a list of states that sponsor terrorism.

_ Feb. 15: North Korea claims it has the right to "space development."

_ Feb. 23: South Korea says North Korea has a new type of medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching northern Australia and Guam.

_ March 11: North Korea declares satellite launch will take place between April 4-8.

_ April 5: North Korea launches long-range rocket from its base at Musundan-ri on the country's northeast coast.

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Source: South Korean defense and foreign ministries and presidential office.