North Korea's satellite 'orbiting normally': South
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Scientists and technicians at the General Satellite Control and Command Center on the outskirts of Pyongyang watch the launch of the Unha-3 rocket from a launch site on the west coast, in the village of Tongchang-ri, about 56 kilometers (35 miles) from the Chinese border city of Dandong, North Korea, on Dec 12, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
SEOUL (AFP) - The satellite launched by North Korea's long-range rocket is in operational orbit, South Korea's defence ministry said on Thursday, confirming the apparent success of Pyongyang's stated space mission.
The satellite sent into space by the North's Unha-3 rocket on Wednesday, is "orbiting normally", ministry spokesman Kim Min Seok told reporters.
"It is not yet known what kind of mission the satellite is conducting. It usually takes two weeks to evaluate whether a satellite is successful. For the time being, it is working normally," Mr Kim said.
North Korea said Wednesday's launch was a purely scientific mission aimed at placing a polar-orbiting earth observation satellite in space.
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