North Korea missile launch condemned as ‘provocative act’

North Korea provoked worldwide outrage today by launching a long-range missile which the United Nations said could threaten regional peace.

Britain summoned the pariah state’s London ambassador to the Foreign Office to demand an explanation. The missile launch was also condemned by the UN, the US, Russia, South Korea and Japan.

Even China, North Korea’s closest ally, expressed “regret” at the move. The Unha-3 rocket was fired shortly before 10am local time and was detected heading south by a South Korean destroyer patrolling the Yellow Sea.

Japanese officials said the first rocket stage fell into the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula, while a second part dropped into the Philippine Sea hundreds of miles further south.

North Koreans were pictured dancing in the streets of Pyongyang after the launch was announced by the repressive regime. It is likely to bolster the credentials of Kim Jong Un, in his twenties, who took over the leadership following the death of his father Kim Jong Il last year.

But UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon “deplored” the use of the rocket — a “clear violation” of Security Council resolution 1874 which demands North Korea does not conduct any launch using ballistic missile technology.

The White House called it a “highly provocative act that threatens regional security”. Foreign Secretary William Hague warned it would increase tension in the region and condemned Pyongyang for “prioritising” such missile developments before tackling poverty and famine.

The fear is the long-distance missile could be used to reach America and represents a significant step towards developing technology to deliver a nuclear warhead. North Korea said the purpose for firing the rocket was to put a peaceful satellite into orbit. The UN, America and its allies see the move as cover for a test of technology for missiles and the launch is likely to lead to fresh sanctions.

Experts say that ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak held an emergency national security council today while Japan requested consultations on the launch at the UN Security Council which was due to discuss it today.

North Korea’s long-range launches in 1998, 2006, 2009 and this April ended in failure. It is believed to have enough weaponised plutonium for at least half a dozen bombs, according to US experts.