North Korea defies warnings in rocket launch success

North Korea has successfully launched a long-range rocket, defying international warnings.

The Unha-3 rocket, launched at 09:49 local time (00:49 GMT), appears to have followed its planned trajectory, with stages falling in expected areas.

North Korea says a satellite has been placed in orbit; the US confirmed an object had been put into space.

South Korea, the US and Japan have condemned the launch as a disguised test of long-range missile technology.

A UN resolution passed in June 2009 after North Korea's second nuclear test banned Pyongyang from ballistic missile tests.

The US called it a "highly provocative act that threatens regional security", while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said it was a "clear violation" of the UN resolution.

Heck, China probably would. Interestingly enough, the North Korean constitution has previously denounced communism. They're far more nationalist/fascist, like Nazi Germany, than Soviet, these days. They're particularly racist in a pseudo-scientific sense.

North Korea is the least threatening place on the planet.

I don't know about you but I'm terrified of a low budget version of the 1950s.

Why is it ok for Britain, America, Russia etc to have missiles and nuclear bombs but countries like North Korea can't? Who are they going to bomb? Also have a bit of sympathy for the people of North Korea because there government is so out of touch with reality it's unbelievable...

I can't differentiate between communism and fascism tbh.

Sure I'd heard of them in secondary school history, but it's basically COMMUNISM IS EVIL FASCISM IS EVIL DEMOCRACY IS GUD as far as I know.

I'd love to visit North Korea.

Yeah, I've had a read about the tour groups before. I've also read this (Vienna to Pyongyang, the secret railway) which is pretty interesting.