International Concern Over North Korea's Rocket Launch

Where: Pyongyang, North Korea

April 5, 2009 : The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea’s (North Korea’s) plans to launch a rocket had created a stir weeks ahead of the event. It was feared that the launch was actually a missile test. Japan, South Korea, and Alaska in the United States were all under threat if this was so. Finally, on Sunday, April 5, 2009, the Eunha-2 rocket succeeded in putting a satellite into orbit.

South Korea, that has a long history of war with the North, called it a “reckless act”.The United Kingdom, France and the European Union urged North Korea to resume nuclear disarmament talks. Japan requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. US President Barack Obama, who has been calling for nuclear disarmament worldwide, appealed to the United Nations for quick action against North Korea. He said that country had violated the Security Council’s ban on conducting ballistic missile tests. The Security Council had imposed sanctions against North Korea in October 2006, after it tested a nuclear bomb. The US government said North Korea was preparing to fire its longest-range ballistic missile, Taepodong-2.

China, which is also a permanent member of the Security Council, is North Korea’s only major ally. It has not challenged Pyongyang’s claim that it launched a satellite that is broadcasting revolutionary songs, and not a missile. In Pyongyang, Premier Kim Jong Il expressed “great satisfaction” and called the event “a striking demonstration of the might” of the country’s science and technology.

Related Links – If you want to know more about North Korea:
North Korea: Where is it? Click here to see it on the map
North Korea: Country profile
North Korea: Latest news about North Korea
North Korea: Images from North Korea
North Korea: More about North Korea

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Readability: Grade 8 (13-14 year old children)
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Filed under: world news
Tags: #japan, #security, #korea, #missiles, #north korea, #satellites

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