North Korea launches long-range rocket
2012-12-12 07:28
Seoul - North Korea successfully launched a long-range
rocket on Wednesday, sharply escalating the security threat posed by the
nuclear-armed state and provoking concern from China and global condemnation.
The launch triggered plans for an emergency session of the
UN Security Council, which has imposed round after round of sanctions against
North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, 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.
Nuclear weapons
Baek Seung-Joo of South Korea's Institute of Defence
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.
Success this time carries profound security implications,
marking a major advance in North Korea's ability to mate an intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM) capability with its nuclear weapons programme.
In October, North Korea had said it already possessed
rockets capable of striking the US mainland - a claim which many analysts at
the time dismissed as bluster.
"Putting a satellite into orbit means that you have
technology to get a warhead to a targeted area," said Masao Okonogi,
honorary professor at Keio University in Japan.
"Now, North Korea is becoming not only a threat to the
neighbouring countries but also a real threat to the United States,"
Okonogi said.
US 'monitoring situation'
Washington appeared to be reserving judgement on the
launch's implications. A senior administration official said the United States
had "noted" the firing and was "monitoring the situation".
Unusually China - North Korea's sole major ally and its
biggest trade partner and aid provider - responded relatively quickly with a
statement that pressed the country to abide by UN Security Council resolutions.
"All parties concerned should stay cool-headed and
refrain from stoking the flames so as to prevent the situation from spiralling
out of control," state news agency Xinhua said, decrying "bellicose
rhetoric and gestures" by all.
North Korea is banned from carrying out missile tests under
UN resolutions triggered by Pyongyang's two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Japan's government said it "cannot tolerate" the
"extremely regrettable" launch, and Britain "deplored"
North Korea's decision to go ahead.
In Seoul, President Lee Myung-Bak called an emergency
meeting of his National Security Council, while Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan
condemned the North's "clear violation" of UN resolutions.
"This is a threat to peace on the Korean peninsula and
around the world," Kim said.
'Strong response' expected from UN
The UN Security Council said it would meet on Wednesday,
with one Western diplomat predicting a "strong response".
According to tracking reports from the South Korean and
Japanese armed forces, the rocket took off from the Sohae centre around 09:51
(00:51 GMT).
Japan, which had deployed missile defence 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 300km 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 UN veto holder
China.
"China sets the maximum response level in the Security
Council when it comes to North Korea," said a senior South Korean
government official.
