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The UN Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket in violation of international sanctions and also vowed to take "significant measures" over its nuclear test in January that Pyongyang claims was a hydrogen bomb.
China, North Korea's most powerful ally, backed the statement, as did the other 14 council members during an emergency meeting.
In a state TV broadcast, a North Korean presenter said the "epochal" launch, personally ordered by leader Kim Jong Un, had "successfully put our Earth observation satellite ... into orbit".
The country said the launch of the satellite Kwangmyongsong-4, named after his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, was a "complete success" and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes
North Korea insisted the rocket was part of its space exploration programme, but most of the world viewed it as a disguised ballistic missile test.
Seoul and Washington said they would look at whether to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea, which China and Russia both oppose.
Pyongyang remained defiant hours after the launch, with its embassy in Moscow issuing a statement saying it would "continue to launch more man-made satellites".
Venezuelan ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the Security Council this month, said the launch was "a serious violation of... resolutions".
US ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences.
"DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."
China, North Korea's most powerful ally, backed the statement, as did the other 14 council members during an emergency meeting.
In a state TV broadcast, a North Korean presenter said the "epochal" launch, personally ordered by leader Kim Jong Un, had "successfully put our Earth observation satellite ... into orbit".
The country said the launch of the satellite Kwangmyongsong-4, named after his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, was a "complete success" and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes
North Korea insisted the rocket was part of its space exploration programme, but most of the world viewed it as a disguised ballistic missile test.
Seoul and Washington said they would look at whether to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea, which China and Russia both oppose.
Pyongyang remained defiant hours after the launch, with its embassy in Moscow issuing a statement saying it would "continue to launch more man-made satellites".
Venezuelan ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the Security Council this month, said the launch was "a serious violation of... resolutions".
US ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences.
"DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."
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