朝鲜发射远程火箭，声称卫星进入轨道

North Korea says it has succeeded in launching a long-range rocket and placing a satellite into orbit, defying international warnings.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported the news early Wednesday and it was later announced triumphantly by an anchor on North Korean state television.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command ((NORAD)) says initial indications suggest the missile launch was successful in deploying an object that "appeared to achieve orbit."

South Korean and Japanese defense officials confirmed that all three stages of the rocket appear to have separated as scheduled. But they could not immediately say whether the device had been placed into orbit.

The White House issued a statement calling the launch a "highly provocative act that threatens regional security" and violates U.N. Security Council resolutions barring ballistic missile activity by Pyongyang.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also deplored the launch as a "clear violation" of U.N. sanctions, saying he is concerned about its consequences on peace and stability in the region.

朝鲜官方中央通讯社星期三上午报道这一消息后，朝鲜国营电视台的一名主持人高兴地宣布了这一消息。

北美空防司令部说，最初迹象显示，朝鲜导弹成功发射了一个物体，这个物体“看起来被送入轨道”。

韩国国防部和日本防卫厅的官员都证实说，三级火箭看起来全部按照计划分离。但是他们不能立即说，物体是否已经被送入轨道。

白宫发表声明，将朝鲜的发射称为是“威胁地区安全的高度挑衅行为”，违反了联合国安全理事会禁止平壤进行弹道导弹活动的决议。

联合国秘书长潘基文也谴责朝鲜的发射是对联合国决议的“明显违背”，并说他关注发射给该地区的和平与稳定带来的后果。