The United Nations Security Council was to meet in an emergency session today at the request of Japan and the United States to discuss North Korea's ''provocative'' long-range rocket launch.
The US military disputed North Korea's claim yesterday that it had launched a satellite into space, saying ''the payload itself landed in the Pacific Ocean''.
The 15-member body was to hold consultations at 5am Canberra time after North Korea, led by Kim Jong-il, fired a long-range rocket believed to be a Taepodong-2 missile test in defiance of UN resolutions, a spokesman, Marco Morales, for Mexico's UN ambassador Claude Heller, said.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command and US Northern Command said in their brief account of the North Korean rocket launch, ''Stage one of the missile fell into the Sea of Japan. The remaining stages along with the payload itself landed in the Pacific Ocean. No object entered orbit and no debris fell on Japan.''
The statement came after North Korea said its satellite was ''rotating normally in its orbit'' and transmitting ''immortal revolutionary songs'' in praise of the communist state's present and former leaders.
South Korea also said North Korea's satellite did not reach orbit as the communist nation claimed.
South Korea's Defence Minister said all three sections of the rocket fell into the sea.
North Korea's rocket launch yesterday rattled the world and US President Barack Obama led global condemnation of what he called an attempt to provoke trouble.
Mr Obama said North Korea had tested a ballistic missile in defiance of UN resolutions.
South Korea, which called the act ''reckless'', and Japan put their militaries on heightened alert.
China and Russia pleaded for restraint while the UN Security Council was called into emergency session.
Comments of censure were quickly fired from world capitals. ''The launch today of a Taepodong-2 missile was a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind,'' Mr Obama said in Prague where he is on a European tour.
The United States believes the missile carrier could reach 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,'' Mr Obama said.
The rocket flew over Japanese territory and some of the booster engines landed off the Japanese coast but the Government took no action to shoot it down as it had warned it might.
But Japan has warned North Korea of new sanctions.
Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso said, ''It is an extremely provocative action. Japan can never overlook it.''
He said Japan would work with other nations to take action against North Korea.
South Korea has put its 680,000 military on heightened alert. Agencies
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