U.S. confirms N. Korea's rocket launch: reports

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, April 4 (Yonhap) -- The State Department Saturday confirmed North
Korea has launched a rocket in defiance of a United Nations resolution and called
it "a provocative act," reports said.
Spokesman Fred Lash said the launch took place at 10:30 p.m. EDT Saturday (0230
GMT Sunday), according to the Associated Press.
The U.S. will "take appropriate steps to let North Korea know that it cannot
threaten the safety and security of other countries with impunity," the spokesman
said. "North's Korea's development, deployment and proliferation of missiles,
ballistic missile-related materials, equipment and technologies pose a serious
threat to the northeast Asia region and to the international community."
hdh@yna.co.kr
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