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Storma May Brew but N Korea Proud of New Satellite

Published:Sunday | February 7, 2016 | 10:57 AM
AP
An unidentified object is photographed in the sky from Dandong, China, yesterday. North Korea on yesterday defied international warnings and launched a long-range rocket that the United Nations and others call a cover for a banned test of technology for a missile that could strike the United States mainland. (Minoru Iwasaki/Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT

PYONGYANG, North Korea

Hours after the rest of the world already knew, North Korea's state media triumphantly announced in a special news bulletin to the nation yesterday that it had successfully launched a satellite into orbit, calling it a major milestone in the nation's history and the "greatest gift of loyalty" to the country's young leader, Kim Jong Un.

In a possible hint of what might lie ahead, however, North Korea's state media implored the nation on the eve of the launch to be prepared for whatever "violent storm" may be coming.

They may need to: the U.S., South Korea and Japan have strongly condemned the launch, and potential new sanctions over both the launch and the North's purported hydrogen bomb test just one month ago are now being discussed in the U.N. Security Council.

North Korea's most famous and venerated TV newscaster, dressed in a traditional pink gown, proudly announced on the TV bulletin - reserved for extremely important events - that the Earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 had been successfully put into orbit early yesterday morning. She called it an "epochal" moment.

AP