South Koreans -- puppies are sold in street stalls much like chickens.
Sioux Indians--boiled dog is a delicacy
Many others
Anyway, Gates is too smart to have said something that provocative. More likely he paraphrased "trust, but verify"
Assets have been deployed to shoot down the missile, by the US and japan, if it or its discarded boosters pose a threat to land, and to track the flight if it is successful.
It's not about launching a satellite. It's about testing a missile capable of putting a nuke into orbit.
If Korea wanted to launch a satellite, China would do it for them, no sweat. It would be tons cheaper and more reliable. Korea has yet to construct a reliable missile and would be crazy to trust a high dollar satellite to one of their own. This thing probably carries a satellite of sufficient complexity to tell the Koreans were it is. They will then know if it is capable of putting a nuke where they want it.
I hope that whatever is carries, it falls right smack in the middle of San Francisco Bay. That would lead to some interesting hearings.