UN Condemns North Korea Rocket Launch

North Korea’s controversial satellite launch comes just a week after Pyongyang defiantly conducted a nuclear test, which equally drew condemnation from across the world.

“Shortly after the launch, the United States and South Korea jointly announced that they would begin official discussions on rapidly deploying a battery of the United States’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, also known as THAAD, missile defense system in South Korea”.

North Koreans gather at the Kim Il Sung Square to celebrate a satellite launch on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Pyongyang, North Korea.

China on Sunday expressed “regret” over North Korea’s controversial satellite launch, but advised that the situation must be dealt with calmly and through sustained dialogue.

The UN Security Council condemned the launch in an emergency meeting on late Sunday, and vowed to take “significant measures” in response to Pyongyang’s violations of UN resolutions.

“The objective of the THAAD system, again, is it’s a defensive system”.

At present, North Korea is believed to have one satellite in orbit, the Kwangmyongsong 3-2, though doubts have been raised about whether it is functioning.

He also said the United States “is consulting with the South Koreans for the first time about more missile defence capabilities to prevent any possibility that North Korea could reach USA facilities or U.S. populations”.

USA officials have said the type of rocket in Sunday’s launch is dual-use, meaning the same technology that can be employed to send a satellite into orbit is the same that can deliver a nuclear warhead. Experts say, however, that long-range rockets and intercontinental ballistic missiles are basically the same with differences only in payloads.

The THAAD system, in service since 2008, includes truck-mounted launchers, radars, interceptor missiles and global communications links.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye held telephone calls with U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday and agreed to work for “strong and effective” U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea following its weekend rocket launch.