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Subscribe to RSSChina has offered a rare criticism of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, after the country fired a long-range rocket that has been described by U.S. officials as a weapons test. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
The object that North Korea sent into space on Wednesday appears to be “tumbling out of control” as it orbits the earth, U.S. officials told NBC News.
The officials said that it is indeed some kind of space vehicle, but they still haven’t been able to determine exactly what the satellite is supposed to do.
In a statement, the White House said the rocket launch was a highly provocative act that threatens regional security and violates U.N. resolutions.
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday condemned the launch, calling it a "clear violation" of U.N. resolutions. A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he "deplores" the launch.
North Korea is banned from conducting missile and nuclear tests, under the terms of U.N. sanctions imposed after a series of nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and 2009.
Missile warning systems detected the launch at 7:49 p.m. ET Tuesday. North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said in a statement that the initial indications were that the first stage fell into the Yellow Sea and the second stage fell into the Philippine Sea.
North Korea said the launch was an attempt to place a satellite into a pole-to-pole orbit. Pyongyang's official KCNA news agency said that the rocket was fired from the Sohae Satellite Launch Center on the secretive country's west coast, and that the Kwangmyongsong weather satellite went into orbit as planned.
KCNA via Reuters
North Korean scientists work as a screen shows the Unha-3 (Milky Way 3) rocket being launched at the satellite control center in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province.
But U.S. officials say the launch was a thinly veiled attempt to test a three-stage ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead as far as the U.S. West Coast.
ANALYSIS: 'Spoiled child' North Korea snubs China
Russia added its voice to the condemnation of the launch and also called on other nations to refrain from further escalating tensions.
"The new rocket launch carried out by North Korea flaunts the opinion of the international community, including calls from the Russian side," it said.
China, North Korea's only major diplomatic ally, said officials had urged Pyongyang not to go ahead with the launch, and expressed regret that it had taken place.
Japan and South Korea voiced concern as well. "The Japanese government regards this launch as an act compromising the peace and stability of the region, including Japan," said Osamu Fujimura, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of his national security council.
North Korea has successfully launched a long-range rocket, defying a U.N. Security Council Resolution and warnings from the West. On the streets of the country's capital, there were celebrations at the announcement. But internationally, the launch has provoked widespread condemnation and threats of further sanctions. ITN's Angus Walker reports.
The liftoff came as a shock to many South Koreans because they thought it would not take place until after South Korea's presidential election on Dec. 19.
Only a day earlier, North Korea hinted that the launch time might have to be readjusted due to weather or a technical problem.
"It was a surprise in terms of the timing," Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst with the RAND think tank, told The Associated Press. "They had talked about postponing for a week. To recover so quickly from technical problems suggests they have gotten good at putting together a missile."
This was North Korea's fifth test launch of a long-range rocket or ballistic missile – and the second launch since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un came to power in the wake of his father’s death a year ago. Experts say none of the previous attempts was successful, although Pyongyang says otherwise.
The last rocket was launched in April but fell apart shortly after being fired.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told NBC News that Kim was under pressure to launch a success.
"He knows the stakes are high either way, and it is really what he does next that matters," the official said.
Jim Miklszewski is NBC News' chief Pentagon correspondent. Alan Boyle is NBC News' science editor. This report includes information from NBC News' Julie Yoo in Seoul and Arata Yamamoto in Tokyo, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press.
Ezra Klein reports the breaking news that North Korea has test-fired a long-range rocket in defiance of the international community.
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Why would the North Koreans care what the US thinks?
The US president that refused to fight for a US Embassy...that is selling F16s to the Muslim Brotherhood...that is inciting conflicts in Michigan...that US president is a joke...
Israel doesn't listen to the prez...Mexico doesn't listen to the prez...Russia sure as hell doesn't listen to the prez...so why should a bow legged little moon faced fat guy from North Korea care what the prez says...
Beacause that little fat guy knows that after all of the bluff and bluster, our Prez will send billions in food aid to them in return for another broken promise to not play with bombs and rockets.
Stupid little fat guy just doesn't know how good our Prez is at playing checkers against chess players.
They just want us to use our super secret laser to shoot it down... Hmmmm
I wouldn't call North Korea a "Spoiled Child." They are a DANGER to the rest of the world. By calling them a "Spoiled Child" is really an ATTEMPT at MINIMIZING the danger they pose to the rest of the world. China may also be a DICTATORSHIP, but at least they preach to everyone to be calm and rational.
What we have here is a PROBLEM to the peace and security of the region. I don't know what writers these NEWS organizations HIRE.......but they know little of of this SECRETIVE nation. It is BAD, EVIL, a huge CONCENTRATION camp for Political prisoners, a REAL EYE SORE that should be taken seriously.
Now....THAT is a FAR CRY from being a SPOILED CHILD. It's a LOT .....more serious than a "SPOILED CHILD."
Screw the UN
LOL, the beloved leader, believer in unicorns still can't get his rocket to climax.
Joke's on you capitalist pigs! North Korean scientists designed the communist space object precisely for the sole purpose of tumbling out of control, like Kim Jong Un's sex-appeal! SUCCESS!
Sweet mother of Jesus, it's FLOUT, not FLAUNT. You're not quoting anybody, so I assume Jim or Alan wrote this. Whoever it was seriously needs to go back an repeat freshman English.
It is quoting something of Russian origin, though it does not say what. Either there was an error in translation or an error from a Russian writing that statement in English. It is not Jim's or Alan's fault.
Maybe the satellite is starving to death?
So two questions of importance that was not covered by the reporter:
1. Is the satellite a threat to other satellites?
2. Is is going to fall back to Earth soon?
And one which will not be answered : Do we have a picture of it in orbit?
Translation...a U.S. Military satellite killing satellite has taken the North Korean satellite out.
President Obama's message to North Korea received.
Condemnation followed by billions in food aid. Sounds like a welfare program designed to reward bad behavior. Maybe Obama should invite Kim to join him in his discussions about raising taxes and spending along with The Reverend Al Sharpton, of Tawana Brawley fame, and the rest of the MSNBC White House cabinet.
"Deplorable!" "Regrettable!" "Condemnable!" Russia says it's not good, but don't anyone do anything about it. Words hurt. I'm sure N. Korea will feel really bad now.
So how many satellites will this piece of junk take out before it comes back to earth and lands on someones house?
The current President of the U.S. our Commander In Chief is filling space with highly sophisticated unmanned (Allegedly Unmanned) mini space shuttles and North Korea got it's first long range rocket to work.
Hilarious.
Sounds like a case of Orbital Disfunction. Not only do they have difficulty getting it up, they can't keep it up.
"My dong is up!...What? What--what's going on? My dong is going down!" at 5:18
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMpbEp9LoDc
With any luck it will fall right out of orbit on the house of Kim Jong Un!
I hope that Barry apologized for the US putting over 1,000 satellites into space, making the path for the NK satellite more congested.
Skyfall II Opening soon at a theater maybe near you.
So nice to hear all those liberals acknowledge "Raygun's" foresight in starting research on that foolish and expensive "Star Wars" project.
For crying out loud.
It is NOT a satellite.
I might be a cardboard box lined with aluminum foil.
It is a decoy for the rockets real mission.
Warfare.
But, hey, if they can't make a cardboard box stable in orbit we might get lucky and they will drop one of those
fake nukes they say they have on themselves.
Or hey!
It could be a wrecking ball!
If it is in uncontrolled orbit, it might take out a few other satellites.
They have to make a law against littering in space.
Many commenters were angered when reading this article due to the nature of political euphemisms and agenda setting media, one from someone unnamed, to assure their safety
Having stated his or her or their opinion within one independent clause is always done in a manner to make it appear as though they are subscribing or in agreement with another group as to avoid creating assertive or active roles as the actual source of such beliefs, including this report.
Said an anonymous source, who only promised to comment under the promise of anonymity.
"North Korea is banned from conducting missile and nuclear tests, under the terms of U.N. sanctions imposed after a series of nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and 2009."
Yet they keep doing it and Iran marches on toward building a nuke while our useless president and incompetent UN look on with their thumbs up there rear ends. Maybe Obama will issue another really stern memo.
Israel is in violation of more UN resolutions than any other country BUT, that doesn't seem to be a problem for the white house.
You mean UN resolutions like "Israel is a racist state, so it should immediately throw down its arms and begin paying jizya to Muslims under pain of annihilation?"
What would make you lose more sleep at night, assuming you aren't in the business of destroying Israel? Israel with the bomb or North Korea with the bomb and ICBMs?
"This time launch, everything ok. We fix all problem. Make orbit long time."
"Uh, Pyongyang? We've got a problem..."
"In a statement, the White House said the rocket launch was a highly provocative act that threatens regional security and violates U.N. resolutions."
Funny b/c Israel has been in violation of U.N. resolutions for years, and we still supply them with weapons, and we don't embargo them, or surround them with Navy battleships.
My question requires an assumption, which may be huge under the circumstances. I assume you agree Israel has the right to exist. If true, which of the following scenarios makes you more nervous: a) Israel has nuclear weapons, or b) North Korea has nuclear weapons? And which resolutions against Israel are you talking about? Ones about developing nuclear-tipped ICBMs?