North Korea Launches Long-range Rocket in 'Provocative Act'
North Korea successfully launched on Wednesday a long-range rocket, which U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and the U.S. said was a "provocative act" in clear breach of U.N. Resolutions.
The launch triggered plans for an emergency session of the Security Council, which has imposed round after round of sanctions against North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, so far to little avail.
North Korea insisted the mission was not a banned intercontinental missile test but was designed to place a scientific satellite in orbit, and said it had achieved all its objectives.
"The satellite has entered the orbit as planned," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a statement repeated later in a triumphant special broadcast on state television.
Ban condemned the launch as a "provocative act" in clear breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions, his spokesman said.
"The secretary-general is concerned about the negative consequences that this provocative act may have on peace and stability in the region," said U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor also warned in a statement that the launch would destabilize the region and hurt non-proliferation efforts around the world.
"North Korea's launch today... is a highly provocative act that threatens regional security, directly violates United Nations Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874, contravenes North Korea's international obligations and undermines the global non-proliferation regime," he said.
Baek Seung-Joo of South Korea's Institute of Defense Analyses said the launch proved Pyongyang's determination "to complete a comprehensive nuclear weapons system" under new leader Kim Jong-Un.
"Apparently North Korea is trying to convince its people that the country remains unshakable under the new leadership and will never collapse," he said.
Kim Jong-Un was believed to be keen that the launch fell close to the first anniversary of the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il on December 17.
A previous launch of the same Unha-3 rocket in April had ended in failure, with the carrier exploding shortly after take-off.
Japan, which had deployed missile defense systems to destroy the rocket if it looked set to fall on its territory, said it passed over its southern island chain of Okinawa around 12 minutes after take-off.
The first and second stages fell in the sea west and southwest of the Korean Peninsula, while the third splashed down 300 kilometers (188 miles) east of the Philippines.
North Korea had originally provided a December 10-22 launch window, but extended that by a week on Monday when a "technical deficiency" was discovered.
In 2006 the Security Council imposed an embargo against North Korea on arms and material for ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. It also banned imports of luxury goods and named individuals and companies to be subject to a global assets freeze and travel ban.
In 2009, it imposed a ban on North Korea's weapons exports and ordered all countries to search suspect shipments.
According to Japanese reports, Japan, the United States and South Korea have agreed to demand the Security Council strengthen sanctions to levels that match those on Iran.
That would include increasing the list of financial institutions, entities and individuals subject to asset freezes.
Much will depend on the stance taken by U.N. veto holder China.
Source: Agence France Presse
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