On December 12, North Korea launched a satellite which is suspected by the international community to be a long-range ballistic missile. Though Pyongyang claimed that the launch was a purely scientific mission aimed at placing a polar-orbiting Earth observation satellite space, the UN strongly condemned that launch. A UN Security Council statement released after the launch said “Members of the Security Council condemned this launch, which is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874.” 1

• 1. UN Condemns N. Korean launch”, The Japan Times, December 14, 2012, at http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121214a8.html