Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2
Encyclopedia
In this regard, a delegation of fifteen strong Iranian rocket scientists, including senior officials with Iranian rocket and satellite producer Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, has been in the DPRK since the beginning of March, to help prepare for the launch. The delegation brought a letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il stressing the importance of cooperating on space technology.
In addition, on February 26, 2009, KCNA revealed that the KCST had a long-term plan of putting various types of satellites into orbit.
The official KCNA news, citing a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA
), reported on March 9, that the DPRK vowed to launch retaliatory strike operations including targets in the US, Japananese, and South Korean territories: "Shooting down our satellite or space launch vehicle, which are for peaceful purposes, will precisely mean a war."
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the U.S. didn't plan to intercept the launching or to shoot down the missile in flight. Japan deployed their Aegis destroyers to the Sea of Japan/East Sea, with an order to prepare to shoot down any debris that could fall on Japanese territory. South Korea also dispatched an Aegis-equipped destroyer off the east coast.
reported that they had been informed by the Korean Committee of Space Technology
that preparations for a satellite launch were underway, and that the satellite would be launched from Musudan-ri
in Hwadae
. At about the same time, Kim Jong-il
visited the province where the launch site is located, as he had immediately prior to the previous launch on 4 July 2006.
On 12 March North Korea announced that it had signed the Outer Space Treaty
and the Registration Convention
. It also informed the ICAO and IMO that it would conduct a satellite launch between 4 and 8 April, during a launch window
running from 02:00 to 07:00 UTC. It reported that the rocket's first stage was planned to fall about 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) east-north-east of South Korea's Donghae, the second stage would fall about 3600 kilometres (2,236.9 mi) downrange, and the third stage would enter low Earth orbit
with the satellite. The ICAO map showed danger zone one extending between longitudes 135 and 138 at latitude 40 North, and zone two between longitudes 164 and 172 at latitudes 29 to 34 North. North Korea designated the waters off Japan's Akita
and Iwate
prefectures
as a risk zone for falling debris. Most of a designated zone in the Sea of Japan
lies within Japan's exclusive economic zone
and outside its territorial waters
.
. Following the announcement that it was a satellite launch attempt, the US government stated that it would consider intercepting the rocket if it did not appear to be an orbital launch, while Japan ordered the JSDF
, on 26 March, to intercept debris of the rocket in case the firing failed and fell in Japanese territory or territorial waters.
North Korea responded that it would consider any attempt to intercept the launch to be an act of war
, the spokesman of the DPRK force said "We will launch thunder and fire not only to projected JSDF interception forces but to important areas of Japan."
South Korea, Japan, and the United States deployed their Aegis
destroyers and cruisers in the Sea of Japan, destroyers which are equipped with BMD SM-3 missiles. Japan also moved its PAC-3 Patriot ground-based interceptor missiles to bases in Akita and Iwate. Russia
urged North Korea not to launch the rocket, since the situation in Northeastern Asia is already tense.
and the Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space
, as a goodwill gesture to appease the tensions on the peninsula. The International Civil Aviation Organization
and the International Maritime Organization
were also informed by the DPRK according to practice as part of its preparations for a satellite launch. In a letter sent to ICAO on March 11, the DPRK indicates that the first launch window would take place between April 4 and April 8, between 02:00 and 07:00 (UTC). The letter also identifies two potential "danger" areas which indicate that the rocket's first stage will fly for 125 seconds at an altitude of 50–60 km (31.1–37.3 mi) before falling in a zone centered around 40.5°N 137 °E, 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) east of Tonghae Satellite Launch Center. The second is expected to fly at an altitude of 130–150 km (80.8–93.2 mi) for 125 seconds before falling in a zone centered around 32.5°N 168.5 °E, 3600 kilometres (2,236.9 mi) east of the site, with a margin of error for the drop zone of 100–150 km (62.1–93.2 mi). The third stage used to insert the satellite into orbit will not re-enter.
In addition, the SLV will be launched eastward at an angle of 90.5 degrees, meaning it will have a 0.5 degree westward tilt resulting in a longer flight path over Japan, thus avoiding the re-entry of the second stage into the Pacific Ocean off of Hawaii
, in order to prevent further criticism from the US but at an increased escalation risk with Japan.
According to North Korean meteorological forecast, the launch site is expected to have either snow or rain in the afternoon on April 4, cloudy skies on April 5 and clear skies from April 6 to 10, as pictures of the assembled launch vehicle were publicly disclosed revealing a quite short third stage with a fairly large nosecone fairing, and a first stage taking up about two-thirds of the launcher. The long first stage has a clearly larger diameter than the shorter second stage. Fueling process was reported to have started on April 2, 2009. On April 4, 2009, KCNA reported that the KCST had completed all the preparations for launch and that lift-off would be imminent. KCST indicated that the weather was the most important factor determining the success of the satellite launch, and terrestrial wind speed should be less than 15 metres per second (49.2 ft/s). Korean weather forecast predicted that Saturday would be cloudy, with winds between 6 and 10 m/s (19.7 and 32.8 ft/s), and Sunday would be very cloudy and windy early on, with clouds and wind starting to die down somewhat in the afternoon. Wind speed would settle to around 3 to 4 m/s (9.8 to 13.1 ft/s) on Monday and there would be clear weather on Tuesday.
The Japanese government mistakenly announced that the KSCT fired a rocket on April 4, 2009, at about 12 p.m. Tokyo time, sending nationwide emergency warnings, only to be to be retracted less than five minutes later, and announced the error was originated from the JSDF
FPS-5 radar's faulty detection.
On April 5, 2009, North Korea announced that the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite had been officially launched at 11:30:15 (0230 GMT plus 15 seconds); officials in South Korea
, Russia and the United States
reported that the rocket and its payload had fallen into the Pacific Ocean
without having achieved orbit.
was at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground
, in the North Korean province of North Hamgyong, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay
. The rocket flew over the Japanese islands
"and reached airspace above the Pacific Ocean
". North Korea stated the first stage of the rocket would fall in the sea 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) west of Japan, and the second stage would fall into the Pacific Ocean. Japanese authorities stated no reports of damage or injury in Japan as a result of the launch, and that the rocket's first stage "landed in the water as had been expected". According to the United States Northern Command
, the remaining stages along with the payload itself landed in the Pacific Ocean. Officials and analysts in Seoul said the rocket flew at least 2000 miles (3,218.7 km), doubling the range of the one alleged by the North Korean government to have carried Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
in 1998. Later analysis suggested the rocket impacted 2390 miles (3,846.3 km) from the launch site, and that second stage operated normally but the rocket's third stage failed to separate properly.
as part of a peaceful space project.
According to state news agency KCNA
, which claimed the launch was successful, the satellite's orbital parameters consist of a 490 kilometres (304.5 mi) perigee and 1426 kilometres (886.1 mi) apogee
, with an orbital period
of 104 minutes and 12 seconds and an orbital inclination of 40.6 degrees. The satellite was said to have entered orbit nine minutes and two seconds after launch and began transmitting data and the "Song of General Kim Il-sung
" and "Song of General Kim Jong-il" on a frequency of 470 MHz. However, similar claims were made in 1998 for Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
, whose launch attempt is believed to have failed.
According to The Christian Science Monitor
, South Korean experts asserted that the satellite was a dummy. Myung Noh-hoon, director of the Space Research Centre at KAIST
was quoted as saying "They cannot have been shooting a real satellite. They did not build a satellite." However, in a conflicting statement, an unnamed South Korean official announced that the rocket appeared to have carried a satellite.
Details regarding the construction and equipment of the satellite are scarce. However, based on an image of the satellite appearing on a DPRK postage stamp and a model displayed at the Three Revolution Exhibition in Pyongyang, the design appears to be more sophisticated than that of Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1, with solar power panels, communication and radio antennas and an orbital engine.
, the official newspaper of the Central Committee
of the Workers' Party of Korea
, reported that North Korean leader
Kim Jong-il
"felt regret for not being able to spend more money on the people's livelihoods and was choked with sobs" during the launch.
In the following days, North Korea released images of the purported rocket launch. A mass rally
by thousands of North Koreans took place in Kim Il-sung Square
, Pyongyang
to celebrate the "successful" launch of the satellite.
On 29 April, the state-run
Korean Central News Agency reported that "North Korea threatened to conduct a nuclear test and more ballistic missile tests if the U.N. Security Council doesn't apologize to North Korea and withdraw its condemnation of Pyongyang's rocket launch earlier this month." On 25 May, North Korea claimed that it had conducted a second nuclear test
.
In August 2009, postage stamps commemorating the launch were brought into circulation. The souvenir sheet says "Launch of Artificial Satellite 'Kwangmyongsong No. 2' in the DPRK."
Yu Myung-hwan
stated that "The North's launch is a provocative act that clearly violates United Nations Security Council [Resolution] 1718
that regardless of the North's claims threatens peace and stability of the Korean peninsula
and Northeast Asia." – Prime Minister
Taro Aso
stated that "the fact that North Korea went ahead with the launch despite repeated warnings from around the world, especially the United States, South Korea and Japan, was an extremely provocative act and one that Japan cannot let go unchallenged. So, cooperating with the international community, we want to respond (considering that) it was clearly a violation of the U.N. resolutions." – Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Jiang Yu
stated "We hope related parties stay calm and exercise restraint, appropriately deal with it and together maintain peace and stability in this region. The Chinese side is willing to continue to play a constructive role." – A Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "We are checking whether this (launch) is not a violation of certain resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and call on all sides to refrain from actions that could lead to escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula." – President
Barack Obama
stated "North Korea's development and proliferation of ballistic missile technology pose a threat to the northeast Asian region and to international peace and security. With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations." Barack Obama gave a speech in Prague about the missile launch. Obama stated that "North Korea...has broke the rules...once again...by testing a rocket that could be used for long range missiles. Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread to these weapons. It is time for an international response to prevent the spread of these weapons."
. – Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton called North Korea's decision to stop cooperating with the atomic energy panel "an unnecessary response to the legitimate statement put out of concern by the Security Council." White House
spokesman Robert Gibbs
called North Korea's "announced threat to withdraw from the six-party talks and restart its nuclear program … a serious step in the wrong direction".
programme and all other nuclear weapon
s in a "complete, verifiable and irreversible manner."
called the North Korean launch "provocative" and "reckless". "We urge the council to immediately consider further action," he said in a statement. – Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon
stated that "Canada is very concerned by North Korea's decision to launch a long-range rocket. This ill-advised action undermines confidence in North Korea's commitment to peace and security. Canada calls upon North Korea to comply fully with the requirements of UNSCR 1718 and suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program." – President Nicolas Sarkozy
said that North Korea had placed itself "outside international law
," calling for further enforcement of sanctions by the international community to "punish the regime." – A spokesman from the External Affairs Ministry described the launch as having a "destablising effect" in the "volatile region" and hoped that the response would be "restrained and proportionate". Any decision should be taken by the UN. - Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah was concerned over the launch, adding that it has "increased the risk of tension although it still has to be verified whether it was a satellite or a missile. Our main concern is North Korea's launch has gone against the nuclear disarmament spirit in East Asia." He also stated that suspicions would continue until the relevant parties meet and negotiate. – An official from the Foreign Ministry
defended the launch, saying that every nation had the right to the peaceful use of space technology. The spokesman also denied any cooperation with North Korea in the launch. – The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
stated that "These missile launches may complicate furthermore to find a solution to North Korean nuclear affairs and obstruct the achievement of stability in the area". – Foreign Minister
Murray McCully
said the test was "reckless" and did not help peace and stability in the region. McCully also stated that it was a "backwards step" for North Korea, and urged the country to focus on meeting the agreements made during the six-party talks as it was in its interests to do so. – A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry
stated it was "deeply concerned" at the launch, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and reduce tensions through dialogue. – The Swiss Foreign Ministry
condemned the incident, saying that it violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, but also called for "all parties to refrain from any action that could aggravate the situation" and for "dialogue and moderation to be given priority". - A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
expressed concern at the recent action. "We support efforts, in particular by the UN Security Council, to have the international community embrace a joint stance on this issue. We want the related parties to avoid steps that will not contribute to ongoing goodwill efforts for maintaining regional peace and stability." – The UK's Foreign Secretary
David Miliband
said that he strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a rocket and urged it to "cease immediately all further missile-related activity." – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
said in an interview in Tokyo
that due to the "lack of information, and contradictory information ... I prefer to have a great deal of prudence as the Russian government has said". – Vietnam paid close attention to the launch. "We hope related parties respond with caution and appropriately deal with the move, so as not to exacerbate the situation further to affect peace and stability in Northeast Asia", spokesman Le Dung said. – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
congratulated North Korea on the launch of the satellite, and expressed gratitude for help that Zimbabwe had received from North Korea in the past.
. North Korea partially dismantled the reactor in 2008 as part of an international agreement in return for foreign aid and diplomatic concessions. On 18 April, Pyongyang unexpectedly announced that it would interpret sanctions and criticism levelled after the launch as "a declaration of war
" and reasserted the North Korean military's willingness to defend against "aggression" from South Korea and the United States. On 29 April, it further demanded "apology" from the U.N. Security Council and threatened with more nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
The International Atomic Energy Agency
said on 14 April that North Korea informed its inspectors of immediate cessation of all cooperation with the IAEA and instructed them to leave the country. On 24 April, the IAEA officially declared North Korea as "a fully fledged nuclear power", according to intelligence briefings.
In addition, on February 26, 2009, KCNA revealed that the KCST had a long-term plan of putting various types of satellites into orbit.
The official KCNA news, citing a spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA
KPA
KPA may refer to:* Kenya Ports Authority* Kiln phosphoric acid, a dry process to produce phosphoric acid at high temperature in a kiln* Kilopascal , a unit of pressure* Known-plaintext attack, a method of cryptanalysis* Korean People's Army...
), reported on March 9, that the DPRK vowed to launch retaliatory strike operations including targets in the US, Japananese, and South Korean territories: "Shooting down our satellite or space launch vehicle, which are for peaceful purposes, will precisely mean a war."
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the U.S. didn't plan to intercept the launching or to shoot down the missile in flight. Japan deployed their Aegis destroyers to the Sea of Japan/East Sea, with an order to prepare to shoot down any debris that could fall on Japanese territory. South Korea also dispatched an Aegis-equipped destroyer off the east coast.
Pre-launch announcement
The launch was first publicly announced on 24 February 2009, when the Korean Central News AgencyKorean Central News Agency
The Korean Central News Agency is the state news agency of North Korea and has existed since December 5, 1946. KCNA is headquartered in the capital city of Pyongyang...
reported that they had been informed by the Korean Committee of Space Technology
Korean Committee of Space Technology
The Korean Committee of Space Technology is the state-controlled space agency of North Korea. Very little information on it is publicly available. It is known to be founded sometime in the 1980s, and most likely is connected to the Artillery Guidance Bureau of the Korean People's Army...
that preparations for a satellite launch were underway, and that the satellite would be launched from Musudan-ri
Musudan-ri
The Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground, also known as Musudan-ri, is a rocket launching site in North Korea. It lies in southern North Hamgyong province, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay...
in Hwadae
Hwadae
Hwadae is a county in southern North Hamgyong province, North Korea, with an area of about 460 km² and a population of approximately 70,000. It adjoins the Sea of Japan on the east and south. By land, it adjoins Kimchaek and Kilchu to the west, and Myŏngch'ŏn to the north...
. At about the same time, Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
visited the province where the launch site is located, as he had immediately prior to the previous launch on 4 July 2006.
On 12 March North Korea announced that it had signed the Outer Space Treaty
Outer Space Treaty
The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law...
and the Registration Convention
Registration Convention
The Convention on Registration of Launched Objects into Outer Space was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1974 and went into force in 1976....
. It also informed the ICAO and IMO that it would conduct a satellite launch between 4 and 8 April, during a launch window
Launch window
Launch window is a term used in spaceflight to describe a time period in which a particular launch vehicle must be launched. If the rocket does not launch within the "window", it has to wait for the next window....
running from 02:00 to 07:00 UTC. It reported that the rocket's first stage was planned to fall about 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) east-north-east of South Korea's Donghae, the second stage would fall about 3600 kilometres (2,236.9 mi) downrange, and the third stage would enter low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
with the satellite. The ICAO map showed danger zone one extending between longitudes 135 and 138 at latitude 40 North, and zone two between longitudes 164 and 172 at latitudes 29 to 34 North. North Korea designated the waters off Japan's Akita
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
and Iwate
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
prefectures
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
as a risk zone for falling debris. Most of a designated zone in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
lies within Japan's exclusive economic zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
and outside its territorial waters
Territorial waters
Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most from the baseline of a coastal state...
.
International response to the announcement
Prior to the official announcement, it was reported that North Korea was preparing to test a missile in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on October 14, 2006. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes a series of economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of...
. Following the announcement that it was a satellite launch attempt, the US government stated that it would consider intercepting the rocket if it did not appear to be an orbital launch, while Japan ordered the JSDF
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
, on 26 March, to intercept debris of the rocket in case the firing failed and fell in Japanese territory or territorial waters.
North Korea responded that it would consider any attempt to intercept the launch to be an act of war
Casus belli
is a Latin expression meaning the justification for acts of war. means "incident", "rupture" or indeed "case", while means bellic...
, the spokesman of the DPRK force said "We will launch thunder and fire not only to projected JSDF interception forces but to important areas of Japan."
South Korea, Japan, and the United States deployed their Aegis
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
destroyers and cruisers in the Sea of Japan, destroyers which are equipped with BMD SM-3 missiles. Japan also moved its PAC-3 Patriot ground-based interceptor missiles to bases in Akita and Iwate. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
urged North Korea not to launch the rocket, since the situation in Northeastern Asia is already tense.
Launch campaign
As Iranian authorities announced the end of the 50-days mission Omid space project, with its fiery atmospheric re-entry expected for March 27, occasion for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to officially declare his country a space and nuclear power, the KCNA made public a report on March 12 that the DPRK acceded recently to the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and Other Celestial BodiesOuter Space Treaty
The Outer Space Treaty, formally the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law...
and the Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space
Registration Convention
The Convention on Registration of Launched Objects into Outer Space was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1974 and went into force in 1976....
, as a goodwill gesture to appease the tensions on the peninsula. The International Civil Aviation Organization
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
and the International Maritime Organization
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
were also informed by the DPRK according to practice as part of its preparations for a satellite launch. In a letter sent to ICAO on March 11, the DPRK indicates that the first launch window would take place between April 4 and April 8, between 02:00 and 07:00 (UTC). The letter also identifies two potential "danger" areas which indicate that the rocket's first stage will fly for 125 seconds at an altitude of 50–60 km (31.1–37.3 mi) before falling in a zone centered around 40.5°N 137 °E, 650 kilometres (403.9 mi) east of Tonghae Satellite Launch Center. The second is expected to fly at an altitude of 130–150 km (80.8–93.2 mi) for 125 seconds before falling in a zone centered around 32.5°N 168.5 °E, 3600 kilometres (2,236.9 mi) east of the site, with a margin of error for the drop zone of 100–150 km (62.1–93.2 mi). The third stage used to insert the satellite into orbit will not re-enter.
In addition, the SLV will be launched eastward at an angle of 90.5 degrees, meaning it will have a 0.5 degree westward tilt resulting in a longer flight path over Japan, thus avoiding the re-entry of the second stage into the Pacific Ocean off of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, in order to prevent further criticism from the US but at an increased escalation risk with Japan.
According to North Korean meteorological forecast, the launch site is expected to have either snow or rain in the afternoon on April 4, cloudy skies on April 5 and clear skies from April 6 to 10, as pictures of the assembled launch vehicle were publicly disclosed revealing a quite short third stage with a fairly large nosecone fairing, and a first stage taking up about two-thirds of the launcher. The long first stage has a clearly larger diameter than the shorter second stage. Fueling process was reported to have started on April 2, 2009. On April 4, 2009, KCNA reported that the KCST had completed all the preparations for launch and that lift-off would be imminent. KCST indicated that the weather was the most important factor determining the success of the satellite launch, and terrestrial wind speed should be less than 15 metres per second (49.2 ft/s). Korean weather forecast predicted that Saturday would be cloudy, with winds between 6 and 10 m/s (19.7 and 32.8 ft/s), and Sunday would be very cloudy and windy early on, with clouds and wind starting to die down somewhat in the afternoon. Wind speed would settle to around 3 to 4 m/s (9.8 to 13.1 ft/s) on Monday and there would be clear weather on Tuesday.
The Japanese government mistakenly announced that the KSCT fired a rocket on April 4, 2009, at about 12 p.m. Tokyo time, sending nationwide emergency warnings, only to be to be retracted less than five minutes later, and announced the error was originated from the JSDF
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
FPS-5 radar's faulty detection.
On April 5, 2009, North Korea announced that the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite had been officially launched at 11:30:15 (0230 GMT plus 15 seconds); officials in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Russia and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reported that the rocket and its payload had fallen into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
without having achieved orbit.
Launch details
The launch proceeded in relatively clear weather conditions. The launch padLaunch pad
A launch pad is the area and facilities where rockets or spacecraft lift off. A spaceport can contain one or many launch pads. A typical launch pad consists of the service and umbilical structures. The service structure provides an access platform to inspect the launch vehicle prior to launch....
was at the Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground
Musudan-ri
The Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground, also known as Musudan-ri, is a rocket launching site in North Korea. It lies in southern North Hamgyong province, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay...
, in the North Korean province of North Hamgyong, near the northern tip of the East Korea Bay
East Korea Bay
East Korea Bay is a bay in North Korea and an extension of the Sea of Japan . It is located between the provinces of Hamnam and Kangwon.-See also:*Korean Peninsula*Korea Bay...
. The rocket flew over the Japanese islands
Japanese Archipelago
The , which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean...
"and reached airspace above the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
". North Korea stated the first stage of the rocket would fall in the sea 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) west of Japan, and the second stage would fall into the Pacific Ocean. Japanese authorities stated no reports of damage or injury in Japan as a result of the launch, and that the rocket's first stage "landed in the water as had been expected". According to the United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
, the remaining stages along with the payload itself landed in the Pacific Ocean. Officials and analysts in Seoul said the rocket flew at least 2000 miles (3,218.7 km), doubling the range of the one alleged by the North Korean government to have carried Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1 was a satellite allegedly launched by North Korea on 31 August 1998. While the North Korean government claimed that the launch was successful making North Korea the ninth country to launch a satellite, no objects were ever tracked in orbit from the launch, and outside North Korea...
in 1998. Later analysis suggested the rocket impacted 2390 miles (3,846.3 km) from the launch site, and that second stage operated normally but the rocket's third stage failed to separate properly.
The satellite
Pyongyang claimed that Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 was an experimental communications satelliteCommunications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
as part of a peaceful space project.
According to state news agency KCNA
Korean Central News Agency
The Korean Central News Agency is the state news agency of North Korea and has existed since December 5, 1946. KCNA is headquartered in the capital city of Pyongyang...
, which claimed the launch was successful, the satellite's orbital parameters consist of a 490 kilometres (304.5 mi) perigee and 1426 kilometres (886.1 mi) apogee
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
, with an orbital period
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
of 104 minutes and 12 seconds and an orbital inclination of 40.6 degrees. The satellite was said to have entered orbit nine minutes and two seconds after launch and began transmitting data and the "Song of General Kim Il-sung
Song of General Kim Il-sung
"The Song of General Kim Il-sung" is a North Korean marching song composed by Kim Won-gyun in 1946. As a part of an ongoing cult of personality, the song praising Kim Il-sung, North Korea's "Eternal President", who died in 1994, is still widely played in that country.The first two bars of the song...
" and "Song of General Kim Jong-il" on a frequency of 470 MHz. However, similar claims were made in 1998 for Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1
Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1 was a satellite allegedly launched by North Korea on 31 August 1998. While the North Korean government claimed that the launch was successful making North Korea the ninth country to launch a satellite, no objects were ever tracked in orbit from the launch, and outside North Korea...
, whose launch attempt is believed to have failed.
According to The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, South Korean experts asserted that the satellite was a dummy. Myung Noh-hoon, director of the Space Research Centre at KAIST
KAIST
KAIST , is located in Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon, South Korea. KAIST was established by the Korean government in 1971 as the nation's first research oriented science and engineering institution. The QS-The Times World University Rankings in the year of 2009 placed KAIST 69th overall and 21st in...
was quoted as saying "They cannot have been shooting a real satellite. They did not build a satellite." However, in a conflicting statement, an unnamed South Korean official announced that the rocket appeared to have carried a satellite.
Details regarding the construction and equipment of the satellite are scarce. However, based on an image of the satellite appearing on a DPRK postage stamp and a model displayed at the Three Revolution Exhibition in Pyongyang, the design appears to be more sophisticated than that of Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1, with solar power panels, communication and radio antennas and an orbital engine.
North Korean reaction
Rodong SinmunRodong Sinmun
Rodong Sinmun is a North Korean newspaper and the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, published by the Rodong News Agency. It is the most widely read newspaper in the country...
, the official newspaper of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the Workers' Party of Korea
Workers' Party of Korea
The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
, reported that North Korean leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
"felt regret for not being able to spend more money on the people's livelihoods and was choked with sobs" during the launch.
In the following days, North Korea released images of the purported rocket launch. A mass rally
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
by thousands of North Koreans took place in Kim Il-sung Square
Kim Il-sung Square
Kim Il-sung Square is a city square in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and is named after the founding leader of the DPRK, Kim Il-sung. Opened in August 1954, the square is located on the west bank of the Taedong River, directly opposite the Juche Tower on the other side of the...
, Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
to celebrate the "successful" launch of the satellite.
On 29 April, the state-run
State media
State media or state-owned media is media for mass communication which is ultimately controlled and/or funded by the state. These news outlets may be the sole media outlet or may exist in competition with privately-controlled media.-Overview:...
Korean Central News Agency reported that "North Korea threatened to conduct a nuclear test and more ballistic missile tests if the U.N. Security Council doesn't apologize to North Korea and withdraw its condemnation of Pyongyang's rocket launch earlier this month." On 25 May, North Korea claimed that it had conducted a second nuclear test
2009 North Korean nuclear test
The 2009 North Korean nuclear test was the underground detonation of a nuclear device conducted on 25 May 2009 by North Korea. This was its second nuclear test, the first test having taken place in October 2006. Following the nuclear test, Pyongyang also conducted several missile tests.The test was...
.
In August 2009, postage stamps commemorating the launch were brought into circulation. The souvenir sheet says "Launch of Artificial Satellite 'Kwangmyongsong No. 2' in the DPRK."
Members of the six-party talks
– Foreign MinisterMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (South Korea)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in charge of diplomacy for South Korea, as well as handling external trade and matters related to overseas Korean nationals. It was established on 17 July 1948. Until 1998, the ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; its jurisdiction over...
Yu Myung-hwan
Yu Myung-hwan
Yu Myung-hwan is a South Korean diplomat, he was Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from February 2008 to September.4 2010. His resignation was caused when his daughter was given a job in his department . He has previously held posts including Ambassador to Israel, Japan and the Philippines...
stated that "The North's launch is a provocative act that clearly violates United Nations Security Council [Resolution] 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on October 14, 2006. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes a series of economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of...
that regardless of the North's claims threatens peace and stability of the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
and Northeast Asia." – Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
stated that "the fact that North Korea went ahead with the launch despite repeated warnings from around the world, especially the United States, South Korea and Japan, was an extremely provocative act and one that Japan cannot let go unchallenged. So, cooperating with the international community, we want to respond (considering that) it was clearly a violation of the U.N. resolutions." – Foreign Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China is an executive agency responsible for foreign relations between the People's Republic of China and other countries in the world. The agency is led by the Foreign Minister. The current minister is Yang Jiechi...
spokeswoman Jiang Yu
Jiang Yu
Jiang Yu is the current Foreign Ministry Spokesperson for the People's Republic of China.- Biography :A native of Beijing, she has been working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over twenty years and she had been posted around the world, including the United Nations Headquarters in New York...
stated "We hope related parties stay calm and exercise restraint, appropriately deal with it and together maintain peace and stability in this region. The Chinese side is willing to continue to play a constructive role." – A Foreign Ministry spokesman said, "We are checking whether this (launch) is not a violation of certain resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and call on all sides to refrain from actions that could lead to escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula." – President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
stated "North Korea's development and proliferation of ballistic missile technology pose a threat to the northeast Asian region and to international peace and security. With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations." Barack Obama gave a speech in Prague about the missile launch. Obama stated that "North Korea...has broke the rules...once again...by testing a rocket that could be used for long range missiles. Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread to these weapons. It is time for an international response to prevent the spread of these weapons."
Reactions by members of the six-party talks
– Kyodo News Agency reported that Japan urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks. – A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying, "The Chinese side hopes all sides will continue to advance and push forward the six-party talks and the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula." The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 14 April urging all parties to "exert calmness and restraint, jointly maintain peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, and make concerted efforts to consistently facilitate the six-party talks and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula". – Russia expressed its "regret" at North Korea's actions and also "call[ed] on North Korea to return to the negotiating table in the interests of denuclearising the Korean peninsula". Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia "hopes for resuming the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear problem soon", according to ITAR-TASSInformation Telegraph Agency of Russia
The Information Telegraph Agency of Russia , is the major news agency of Russia. It is headquartered in Moscow.- History :Its origin is in a letter sent by Finance Minister Vladimir Kokovtsov to foreign minister in March 1904 writing that "our trade and industrial circles, as well as the Finance...
. – Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Hillary Clinton called North Korea's decision to stop cooperating with the atomic energy panel "an unnecessary response to the legitimate statement put out of concern by the Security Council." White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
spokesman Robert Gibbs
Robert Gibbs
Robert Lane Gibbs was the 28th White House Press Secretary. Gibbs was the communications director for then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama and Obama's 2008 presidential campaign...
called North Korea's "announced threat to withdraw from the six-party talks and restart its nuclear program … a serious step in the wrong direction".
International organisations
– The EU called on North Korea to suspend its nuclear activities related to the ballistic missileBallistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
programme and all other nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s in a "complete, verifiable and irreversible manner."
- NATO – Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop SchefferJaap de Hoop SchefferJakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from January 5, 2004 until August 1, 2009....
condemned the launch, calling it "highly provocative, and in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on October 14, 2006. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes a series of economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of...
barring North Korea from developing ballistic missile capability or launching ballistic missiles". He commented that the launch would deepen concern about North Korea in the region and beyond, complicate the 6-party talks and called on North Korea to cease such provocative actions. – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonBan Ki-moonBan Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
said that "Given the volatility in the region ... such a launch is not conducive to efforts to promote dialogue, regional peace and stability. The Secretary-General urges (North Korea) to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions." Members of the Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
voted unanimously on 13 April 2009 for a presidential statementPresidential StatementA Presidential Statement is often created when the United Nations Security Council cannot reach consensus or are prevented from passing a resolution by a permanent member's veto, or threat thereof...
that condemned the rocket launch, which it described as "in contravention" to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, and demanded North Korea make no more launches. It also allowed for an "adjustment" of sanctions and set up a committee to make recommendation on such an adjustment by April 24. The statement of was a compromise reached after the five permanent members of the Security Council and Japan failed to agree on a resolution with new sanctions.
Other countries
– Australian Prime Minister Kevin RuddKevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
called the North Korean launch "provocative" and "reckless". "We urge the council to immediately consider further action," he said in a statement. – Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon
Lawrence Cannon, PC is a Canadian politician from Quebec and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former Quebec lieutenant. On October 30, 2008 he was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs...
stated that "Canada is very concerned by North Korea's decision to launch a long-range rocket. This ill-advised action undermines confidence in North Korea's commitment to peace and security. Canada calls upon North Korea to comply fully with the requirements of UNSCR 1718 and suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program." – President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
said that North Korea had placed itself "outside international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
," calling for further enforcement of sanctions by the international community to "punish the regime." – A spokesman from the External Affairs Ministry described the launch as having a "destablising effect" in the "volatile region" and hoped that the response would be "restrained and proportionate". Any decision should be taken by the UN. - Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah was concerned over the launch, adding that it has "increased the risk of tension although it still has to be verified whether it was a satellite or a missile. Our main concern is North Korea's launch has gone against the nuclear disarmament spirit in East Asia." He also stated that suspicions would continue until the relevant parties meet and negotiate. – An official from the Foreign Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an Iranian government ministry. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the Cabinet member in charge....
defended the launch, saying that every nation had the right to the peaceful use of space technology. The spokesman also denied any cooperation with North Korea in the launch. – The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the foreign ministry of the government of the Republic of Italy. It is also known as the Farnesina as a metonym from its headquarters, the Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome...
stated that "These missile launches may complicate furthermore to find a solution to North Korean nuclear affairs and obstruct the achievement of stability in the area". – Foreign Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
Murray McCully
Murray McCully
Murray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
said the test was "reckless" and did not help peace and stability in the region. McCully also stated that it was a "backwards step" for North Korea, and urged the country to focus on meeting the agreements made during the six-party talks as it was in its interests to do so. – A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for conducting and managing diplomatic relations between Singapore and other countries. It is headed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the office currently held by K...
stated it was "deeply concerned" at the launch, and urged all parties to exercise restraint and reduce tensions through dialogue. – The Swiss Foreign Ministry
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is a department of the federal administration of Switzerland. It is charged with maintaining the foreign relations of Switzerland and serves as Switzerland's ministry of foreign affairs...
condemned the incident, saying that it violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, but also called for "all parties to refrain from any action that could aggravate the situation" and for "dialogue and moderation to be given priority". - A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a government ministry office of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for foreign affairs in Turkey. Professor Ahmet Davutoğlu is current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, appointed on May 1, 2009....
expressed concern at the recent action. "We support efforts, in particular by the UN Security Council, to have the international community embrace a joint stance on this issue. We want the related parties to avoid steps that will not contribute to ongoing goodwill efforts for maintaining regional peace and stability." – The UK's Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
David Miliband
David Miliband
David Wright Miliband is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South Shields since 2001, and was the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010. He is the elder son of the late Marxist theorist Ralph Miliband...
said that he strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a rocket and urged it to "cease immediately all further missile-related activity." – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
said in an interview in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
that due to the "lack of information, and contradictory information ... I prefer to have a great deal of prudence as the Russian government has said". – Vietnam paid close attention to the launch. "We hope related parties respond with caution and appropriately deal with the move, so as not to exacerbate the situation further to affect peace and stability in Northeast Asia", spokesman Le Dung said. – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
congratulated North Korea on the launch of the satellite, and expressed gratitude for help that Zimbabwe had received from North Korea in the past.
North Korean response to criticism
Shortly after members of the United Nations Security Council unanimously condemned the rocket launch, North Korea responded in a statement released by its foreign ministry on 14 April 2009 that the UN action was an "unbearable insult", and the UN statement infringed its sovereignty and "severely debases" its people. It also decided to quit the six-party talks, saying "There is no need for the six-party talks any more. We will never again take part in such talks and will not be bound by any agreement reached at the talks." The statement added that North Korea intended to "bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way" and that it would restart the Yongbyon reactorYongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center
The Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center is North Korea's major nuclear facility, operating its first nuclear reactors. It is located in the county of Nyŏngbyŏn in North Pyongan province, about 90 km north of Pyongyang...
. North Korea partially dismantled the reactor in 2008 as part of an international agreement in return for foreign aid and diplomatic concessions. On 18 April, Pyongyang unexpectedly announced that it would interpret sanctions and criticism levelled after the launch as "a declaration of war
Declaration of war
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies...
" and reasserted the North Korean military's willingness to defend against "aggression" from South Korea and the United States. On 29 April, it further demanded "apology" from the U.N. Security Council and threatened with more nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
The International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
said on 14 April that North Korea informed its inspectors of immediate cessation of all cooperation with the IAEA and instructed them to leave the country. On 24 April, the IAEA officially declared North Korea as "a fully fledged nuclear power", according to intelligence briefings.
See also
- 1993 North Korean missile test
- 1998 North Korean missile test
- 2006 North Korean missile test
- Military of North Korea
- MusudanMusudan (missile)The Taepodong X, also known under the names Nodong / Rodong-B, Mirim and BM25 Musudan is a mobile intermediate-range ballistic missile developed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, based on Soviet Union's R-27 Zyb. The missile probably makes up the 2nd stage of Taepodong-2, a...
- North Korea and weapons of mass destructionNorth Korea and weapons of mass destructionNorth Korea has declared that it has nuclear weapons and is believed by many to have nuclear weapons. The CIA assesses that North Korea also has a substantial arsenal of chemical weapons...
- Rodong-1
- Rodong-2
- Taepodong-1Taepodong-1Taepodong-1 is a two-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile developed in North Korea, and the weapon is currently in use there. The missile was derived originally from the Scud rocket, and can allegedly serve as both a nuclear delivery system and a space launch vehicle...
- Taepodong-2Taepodong-2The Taepodong-2 is a designation used to indicate a North Korean two or three-stage ballistic missile design that is the successor to the Taepodong-1.-Details:...