North Korea says it has succeeded in launching a long-range rocket and placing a satellite into orbit, defying international warnings.
The official Korean Central News Agency reported the news early Wednesday and it was later announced triumphantly by an anchor on North Korean state television.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command ((NORAD)) says initial indications suggest the missile launch was successful in deploying an object that "appeared to achieve orbit."
South Korean and Japanese defense officials confirmed that all three stages of the rocket appear to have separated as scheduled. But they could not immediately say whether the device had been placed into orbit.
The White House issued a statement calling the launch a "highly provocative act that threatens regional security" and violates U.N. Security Council resolutions barring ballistic missile activity by Pyongyang.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also deplored the launch as a "clear violation" of U.N. sanctions, saying he is concerned about its consequences on peace and stability in the region.