North Korea rocket launch will impact peace: India

New Delhi: India on Wednesday expressed its concern at the launch of a rocket by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874.

North Korea announced today that it successfully fired off a long-range rocket mounted with a satellite, defying expectations that technical problems might delay or even call off the mission that has drawn international attention. “This unwarranted action by the Government of DPRK has adversely impacted peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula. India calls on DPRK to refrain from such actions,” said an India’s Ministry of External Affairs statement. The launch was the DPRK`s second bid of the year and its fifth attempt since 1998 to launch a long-range rocket that Washington and its key Asian allies say is a disguised ballistic missile test and a violation of UN resolutions. Pyongyang, whose previous mission in April ended in failure, has countered that the satellite is for peaceful scientific purposes only and that it would abide by international regulations. South Korea`s Defence Ministry said the first stage of the rocket fell in the Yellow Sea off Byeonsan-bando in South Korea`s North Jeolla Province. The Japanese government also said the rocket passed the southern island chain of Okinawa at around 10:01 am local time and fell in waters off the Philippines shortly afterwards. The controversial launch came before the first anniversary of the December 17 death of former top DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il and as crucial elections approach in South Korea and Japan. ANI