Despite earlier reported technological problems and severe winter weather, North Korea successfully launched a long-range rocket Wednesday over the Pacific, the second stage of which fell 300 km east of the Philippines.
The launch marks a significant boost in Pyongyang's quest for ballistic missiles that could hit Japan and other neighboring countries.
The Unha-3 rocket, which Pyongyang claimed was carrying a satellite, lifted off at 9:49 a.m., flying over Okinawa around 10:01 a.m. Its second stage fell into the Pacific off the Philippines at 10:05 a.m., according to Tokyo.