Timeline of N. Korea's Missile, Nuke Programs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Developments in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs:
— 1994: Under agreement with U.S., North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for help building two safer power-producing nuclear reactors.
— Aug. 31, 1998: North Korea fires suspected missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, calling it a satellite.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— Sept. 13, 1999: North pledges to freeze long-range missile tests.
— Sept. 17, 1999: President Bill Clinton agrees to first major easing of economic sanctions against North Korea since Korean War's end in 1953.
— June 2001: North Korea warns it will reconsider missile test moratorium if Washington doesn't resume contacts aimed at normalizing relations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— July 2001: U.S. State Department reports North Korea is developing long-range missile.
— December 2001: President George W. Bush warns Iraq and North Korea will be "held accountable" if they develop weapons of mass destruction.
— Jan. 29, 2002: Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— August 2003: North Korea joins first round of six-nation nuclear talks in Beijing with China, U.S. Japan, Russia and South Korea.
— 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— 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 all activities related to its nuclear weapons program.
— Feb. 13, 2007: North Korea agrees to disable its main nuclear facilities in return for energy aid and other benefits.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— July 14, 2007: North Korea shuts down 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— Oct. 11, 2008: U.S. removes North Korea from a list of states that sponsor terrorism.
— Feb. 15, 2009: 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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
— April 5: North Korea launches long-range rocket from its base at Musundan-ri on the country's northeast coast. U.N. Security Council holds emergency meeting.
— April 13: U.N. Security Council condemns launch and says it will tighten sanctions against North Korea.
— April 14: North Korea announces withdrawal from disarmament talks and says it will restore partly disabled nuclear facilities.