N Korea defiant of missile launch, world scrambles to muster a unified response

As tens of thousands of North Koreans stood proud last week after Pyongyang’s missile launch, UN Security Council members remain deadlocked about a unified response. Pyongyang claims the satellite successfully reached orbit “fully demonstrating the might of science and technology as a leading launcher”. Reports from within the Stalinist state fail to mention the reality that the alleged dummy payload and second stage of rocket crashed into the Pacific. The US says no part of the satellite reached orbit. Meanwhile, over the weekend UN Security Council leaders came to an agreement that North Korea’s actions violated an earlier ban. The resolution, to be voted on next week, is a weaker version of an original binding resolution to ban North Korea from nuclear or missile tests, which China and Russia refused accept. Japan withdrew from the binding resolution, signing the weaker draft circulated by the US because it says a unified response is more important.

Successful satellite launched, KNCA
Dear Leader is back with a bang, Asia Times
Japan, China near deal on North Korea message, Reuters/Yahoo
Key nations ‘agree N Korea draft’, BBC