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North Korea rocket breaks up in flight
Defying warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket, but it broke apart before escaping the earth's atmosphere and fell into the sea.
April 13, 2012
(CNN) Pyongyang - The launch drew condemnation from United States and countries in the region, as well as an unusual admission of failure from Pyongyang, which had invited in journalists and space experts from around the world for the occasion.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to meet Friday to discuss the launch, which North Korea insists was intended to put an observation satellite in orbit. The United States, South Korea and Japan say the operation is a cover for a ballistic missile test.
