North Korea launches rocket defying warnings

Tokyo, Apr 5: Defying all warnings from Japan, South Korea and the United States North Korea on Sunday, Apr 5 launched a long range rocket claiming its a communication satellite. But the international community fears that it might be a disguised test for a long-range ballistic missile which is designed to carry a warhead as far as Alaska in United States.

Though the rocker flew over Japan's airspace, Tokyo did not fire any interceptors. But it requested for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council. The US government described it as a 'provocative act' and warned of international sanctions against North Korea.

"The launch of a Taepodong-2 missile was a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind," US President Barack Obama said while calling for a UN security Meeting in Prague.

OneIndia News