BREAKING NEWS: North Korea fires long-range rocket carrying satellite

USPA News - North Korea on Wednesday morning launched a long-range rocket said to be carrying a weather satellite, but condemned by foreign governments as a long-range missile test which violates UN resolutions, South Korean and Japanese officials said. The long-range Unha-3 rocket carrying the Kwangmyongsong-3 (Bright Star-3) weather satellite was launched from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan county of North Pyongan province, which is located in the western region of North Korea near the Yellow Sea.

It launched between 9:49 a.m. and 9:51 a.m. local time, according to the South Korean and Japanese governments. The North Korean government previously announced its intention to launch the satellite between December 10 and December 22, prompting condemnation from the international community. South Korea described the plan as a "grave provocation" and a test of a long-range missile in disguise, while U.S. and British officials called on North Korea to abandon the plan. In April, North Korea unsuccessfully attempted to place another Kwangmyongsong-3 weather satellite into orbit, causing debris to land in the Yellow Sea. The Korean Committee for Space Technology on December 1 said the country`s scientists and technicians have since improved the reliability and precision of the rocket, but unspecified technical problems nearly delayed Wednesday`s launch. "Scientists and technicians of the DPRK analyzed the mistakes that were made during the previous April launch and deepened the work of improving the reliability and precision of the satellite and carrier rocket, thereby rounding off the preparations for launch," a committee spokesman said on December 1 , referring to North Korea by its official name. The spokesman said a safe flight path has been chosen to avoid any potential debris from affecting other countries in the region. But Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto nonetheless ordered his forces to take "all necessary measures", including the deployment of interceptor missiles.