Tue, April 07, 2009
PYONGYANG, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Il observed the whole process of the launch of an experimental communications satellite on Sunday morning, DPRK state media said in an overnight report.
Kim, who is general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK, watched the launch at the General Satellite Control and Command Center, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim expressed "great satisfaction" over the successful launch and repeatedly praised the "patriotic devotion" of the scientists and technicians who "developed both the multistage carrier rocket and the satellite with their own wisdom and technology," the KCNA reported.
The DPRK leader also stressed the need to "bring about a new turn in conquering outer space and making a peaceful use of it on the basis of the successful launch," the agency added.
According to earlier reports by KCNA, the DPRK launched an "Unha-2" rocket at 11:20 a.m. local time (0220 GMT) Sunday from the East Sea Launch Ground in the east coast of the country, and sent a "Kwangmyongsong-2" satellite into orbit in about 9 minutes.
South Korean and Russian news agencies reported that the rocket did carry a satellite, dismissing speculations that it was a disguised missile launch. The United States, however, said what the DPRK launched was a "Taepodong-2 missile" and it was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718.
The UN Security Council held an emergency session on the DPRK launch on Sunday afternoon at the request of Japan.
The president of the Security Council, Mexican UN Ambassador Claude Heller, told reporters at the end of the closed-door meeting that members of the 15-nation body "agreed to continue consultations to take appropriate actions" in response to the DPRK rocket launch.
UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Sunday afternoon began to meet behind closed doors to discuss how to respond to the rocket launch of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as the United States seeks "a strong collective action" and France wants to see "unanimous action."
The 15-nation Council kicked off the emergency session at about3:15 p.m. EDT (1915 GMT) on Sunday at the request of the Japanese Mission to the United Nations. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The president of the UN Security Council, Mexican UN Ambassador Claude Heller, told reporters here on Sunday that members of the 15-nation body "agreed to continue consultations to take appropriate actions" in response to the rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Full story
UNITED NATIONS, April 5 (Xinhua) -- China said here on Sunday that the reaction of the UN Security Council to the Pyongyang rocket launch should be "cautious and proportionate."
The Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zhang Yesui, made the statement to the press here at the end of a closed-door meeting of the Security Council. The 15-nation Council on Sunday afternoon held an emergency session on the rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the request of Japan. Full story
WASHINGTON, April 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said Sunday the United States expects the UN Security Council to take "the most appropriate and strong response" to the missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"The U.S. is working very closely with Japan," Rice told ABC television, hours before the UN Security Council holds an emergency session to discuss the DPRK rocket launch.
