North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Sunday, April 5, 2009 (NK time). According to CNN, although it is confirmed that the rocket was launched, and cleared Japan, it is unclear as to what it carried. According to NK, it was to carry a satellite into space, but US, South Korea and others fear that it is a warhead that the rocket carries.
Japan did not intercept the rocket, although it had pledged to do so, if necessary. Boosters from the rocket fell around Japan, but they did not fire on the rocket. The Japanese representative to the UN did ask the UN for a meeting of the Security Council, in response to NK's long-range rocket launch.
This is a direct violation of a resolution that condemned NK for testing missiles in October 2006.
According to CNN, before the rocket was launched from NK, the president of South Korea had called an 'urgent Security council meeting,' knowing that it was coming.
US officials called this a "provocative act."
credit to cnn.com
* i can't believe they actually did this...