U.N. to meet after North Korea launch

SEOUL/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea fired a long-range rocket on Sunday, provoking international outrage and sending the U.N. Security Council into an emergency meeting on how to react to Pyongyang's defiance.

The reclusive communist state, which has tested a nuclear device and is in stalled six-party talks on ending its nuclear program, said a satellite was launched into orbit and was circling the Earth transmitting revolutionary songs.

The United States and South Korea, which called the launch a violation of U.N. resolutions, said the Taepodong-2 rocket failed to enter orbit. Analysts said the launch was effectively a test of a ballistic missile designed to carry a warhead as far as the U.S. state of Alaska.

"With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations," U.S. President Barack Obama said.

China, the nearest North Korea has to a major ally, and Russia called on all sides for calm and restraint.

The 15-nation Security Council went into a closed-door session in New York on Sunday afternoon but China and Russia have made clear they will use their veto power to block any resolution imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang.

French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert called on all members, including Russia and China, to unite in criticizing Pyongyang.

"We expect the council to unanimously condemn what has happened," he told reporters ahead of the meeting.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on North Korea to return to the nuclear talks with the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

OBAMA SEEKS NUCLEAR CUTS

The launch was the first big challenge for Obama in dealing with North Korea, whose efforts to build a nuclear arsenal have long plagued ties with Washington.

Addressing a crowd in Prague during a European tour, Obama committed himself to reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal and said Washington would seek to engage all nuclear weapons states in arms reduction efforts.

Obama remained committed to talks to "denuclearize" North Korea, the White House said.

South Korea branded the launch a "reckless" act, Japan said it was "extremely regrettable" and the European Union condemned Pyongyang's step. NATO called it "highly provocative."

"There is only one response possible: the union of the international community must punish a regime that doesn't respect any international rules," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her counterparts in Japan, South Korea, Russia and China to discuss the situation, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

He gave no further details. Clinton travelled with Obama during part of his European tour.

Analysts said the rocket launch may bolster North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's authority after a suspected stroke last August raised doubts about his grip on power.

Kim toured the command centre and witnessed the launch, North Korea's official news agency KCNA reported, saying he met those who "contributed to the satellite launch by devoting all their wisdom and enthusiasm with ardent patriotism and warmly encouraged them before having a photograph taken with them."

TOUGHER ENFORCEMENT

The United States, Japan and South Korea see the launch as a violation of a Security Council resolution passed in 2006 after Pyongyang's nuclear test and other missile tests.

That resolution, number 1718, demands North Korea "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program" but China and Russia have said they were not convinced Sunday's launch violated U.N. rules if the rocket carried a satellite.

Security Council diplomats said there was a flurry of phone calls and meetings before the afternoon session.

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the launch "merits an appropriately strong" U.N. response.

Washington and Tokyo planned to draft a resolution demanding stricter enforcement, and possibly expansion, of an existing arms embargo and financial sanctions.

"We will go back and work to both toughen existing regimes but (also) to add to that resolution," Rice said, referring to resolution 1718.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi called officials in the United States, Russia, Japan and South Korea to discuss the launch, the Foreign Ministry said.

"All sides ought to look at the big picture (and) avoid taking actions which may exacerbate the situation further," a Chinese statement said.

Using similar language, Russia's foreign minister called on the international community to demonstrate a "balanced approach and caution" during the Security Council discussions.

"NEGOTIATING HAND STRENGTHENED"

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo had said before the launch that in reality it would be a test of the Taepodong-2, which is designed to fly an estimated 6,700 km (4,200 miles).

The U.S. Northern Command said stage one of the missile fell into the Sea of Japan and the other stages, along with the payload, landed in the Pacific Ocean. No debris fell on Japan.

South Korea earlier said the rocket appeared to be carrying a satellite but Defence Minister Lee Sang-hee later told parliament it failed to orbit, Kyodo news agency reported.

Japan said it stopped monitoring the rocket after it had passed 2,100 km (1,305 miles) east of Tokyo.

In the only previous test flight of the Taepodong-2, in July 2006, the rocket blew apart 40 seconds after launch.

Sunday's launch wins North Korea the attention it has sought as Obama's new administration deals with the financial crisis and two wars, and it could bolster Kim's hand in using military threats to win concessions from global powers.

"North Korea is likely to judge that its negotiating position has been strengthened now that it has both the nuclear and missile cards," said Shunji Hiraiwa of Shizuoka Prefectural University in Japan.

The U.S. arms control coordinator, Gary Samore, said the launch meant missile defence would stay a priority.

Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special envoy for North Korea, said while the six-party talks were central to efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear program, Washington was ready for direct contact with Pyongyang.

(Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz and Kim Yeon-hee in Seoul, Linda Sieg and Rodney Joyce in Tokyo, Caren Bohan and Matt Spetalnick in Prague; Editing by John O'Callaghan)