The White House on Tuesday condemned NorthKorea's successful launch of a long-range rocket, calling it a "highlyprovocative act" that threatens regional security.
Tuesday's launch, which caught the world by surprise,apparently placed an object in Earth orbit, the North American AerospaceDefense Command said, but neither the missile nor debris from the launch poseda threat to North America.
The launch directly violated U.N. Security Councilresolutions and contravened North Korea's international obligations, the WhiteHouse said in a terse statement that labeled the launch "a highlyprovocative act."
"This action is yet another example of North Korea'spattern of irresponsible behavior. The United States remains vigilant in theface of North Korean provocations and fully committed to the security of ourallies in the region," the statement from National Security Councilspokesman Tommy Vietor said. "Given this current threat to regionalsecurity, the United States will strengthen and increase our close coordinationwith allies and partners."
"The international community must work in a concertedfashion to send North Korea a clear message that its violations of U.N.Security Council resolutions have consequences," Vietor added.
North Korea declared the launch of a rocket and satellite asuccess early Wednesday local time. Three hours later, the U.S. militaryconfirmed that an object appeared to achieve orbit.
On Saturday, North Korea had widened the dates during whichit might conduct the launch of its Unha-3 rocket, citing a technical problem.Washington says the launch is a cover for testing technology for missiles thatcould be used to strike the United States. The previous four attempts allfailed.
"It was a surprise in terms of the timing," saidBruce Bennett, senior defense analyst with the RAND think tank. "They hadtalked about postponing for a week. To recover so quickly from technicalproblems suggests they have gotten good at putting together a missile."
North Korea has also conducted two nuclear tests since 2006,deepening international concern over its capabilities, although it is notbelieved to have mastered how to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile.
The U.S., Japan and South Korea last week vowed to seekfurther U.N. Security Council action if the North conducted a launch. Itremained to be seen whether Russia and China, the North's main ally, wouldagree to further sanctions. The Security Council planned to hold closed-doorconsultations Wednesday morning on the North Korean launch, according to theU.N. Mission of Morocco, which holds the rotating council presidency.
Victor Cha, a Korea expert at Georgetown University and aformer White House policy director for Asia, said a successful launch was amajor national security concern for the United States.
He said there would still be technical hurdles for the Northto overcome, particularly in terms of getting a rocket to re-enter the atmosphere,but it would mean that North Korea is able to launch a long-range ballisticmissile — the first rival state to the U.S. to do so since the Soviet Union andChina.
Rep. Ed Royce, incoming Republican chairman of the HouseForeign Affairs Committee, said the launch showed that new North Korean leaderKim Jong Un had no intention of giving up his nuclear weapons program. Roycealso criticized U.S. policy toward Pyongyang, calling it a "long-termfailure."
"The Obama administration's approach continues to beunimaginative and moribund. We can either take a different approach, or watchas the North Korean threat to the region and the U.S. grows," Royce saidin a statement.