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NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES SATELLITE

December 18, 2012

On Wednesday, December 12, North Korea successfully launched its first satellite, sparking international condemnation and complicating security issues in the already tense Northeast Asian region. While North Korea has repeatedly invoked its right to the peaceful use of outer space as justification for this and past attempted satellite launches, American, Japanese, and South Korean government officials believe the satellite launch is a cover for ballistic missile testing, which would be a violation of UN Security Council Resolutions.

The most recent launch came as something of a surprise, as South Korean officials were reporting that the launch had been cancelled due to technical problems. Instead, the Unha-3 type rocket was launched on Wednesday and successfully inserted a North Korean satellite into orbit for the first time. Western scientists have since claimed that the satellite, though in orbit, is inoperative, a claim North Korea has rejected. Regardless, the launch is seen as a political boon for young leader Kim Jong-un, who assumed power after his father