North Korea has claims that it successfully launched a long-range rocket carrying what it has called a satellite drawing international condemnation.

The U.S. Strategic Command said it had detected a missile entering space, and South Korea’s military said the rocket had put an object into orbit, as Reuters reports.

North Korea said the launch of its satellite Kwangmyongsong-4, named after late leader Kim Jong Il, was a “complete success”.
The launch order was given by his son, leader Kim Jong Un.

According to diplomats the UN Security Council would meet in emergency session later Sunday to discuss what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described as a “deeply deplorable” development.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch ‘absolutely unacceptable’ and he vowed to take action against North Korea.

‘We absolutely cannot allow this. We will take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people,’ he said.