North Korea space launch sparks outrage
Updated on 05 April 2009
The UN held an emergency meeting tonight after North Korea launched a rocket that could allow it to fire long-range missiles. Lindsey Hilsum reports.
The launch came as US President Barack Obama called for a future free of nuclear weapons.
He condemned the launch, and American and South Korean sources said that the rocket failed anyway, falling into sea rather than going into orbit.
According to the North Korean TV News, however, it was a great success, and was fired into space to broadcast revolutionary songs to the public.
President Barack Obama, speaking from a UN meeting in Prague, said: 'North Korea broke the rules, once again, by testing a rocket that could be used for long-range missiles. This provocation underscores the need for action, not just this afternoon at the UN Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons.
'Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something. The world must stand together to prevent the spread of these weapons. Now is the time for a strong international response.'
