South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, center, talks with Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, right, during an emergency meeting of the National Security Council at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections.(AP Photo/Yonhap) KOREA OUT
Dressed in a Santa Claus outfit, a diver feeds to sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea, where over half of the population are Christians. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean man uses his smartphone to take a television screen reporting a news about North Korea's rocket launch at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections. The letters on the screen read " North Korea's rocket launch seems to be successful." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean man uses his smartphone to take a television screen reporting a news about North Korea's rocket launch at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections. The letters on the screen read " North Korea's rocket launch seems to be successful." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Dressed in a Santa Claus outfit, a diver feeds to sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea, where over half of the population are Christians. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Dressed in a Santa Claus outfit, a diver feeds to sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in South Korea, where over half of the population are Christians. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Koreans watch a public TV reporting a news about North Korea's rocket launch at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2010 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's son Kim Jong Un attends a massive military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
In this image made off video footage recorded Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 and aired later in the day in "A Current Affair" program by Australia's Channel Nine, Australian radio DJs Michael Christian, left, and Mel Greig appear during an interview with the TV station. The two managed to impersonate Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles and received confidential information about the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition, which was broadcast on-air. The controversial prank took a dark twist three days later with the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, a 46-year-old mother of two, who was duped by the DJs despite their Australian accents. (AP Photo/Channel Nine) AUSTRALIA OUT, TV OUT, NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY
In this Oct. 10, 2010 photo, Kim Jong Un, right, along with his father and North Korea leader Kim Jong Il, left, attends during a massive military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 in its second launch under its new leader, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days before South Korean presidential elections. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, FRANCE, HONG KONG, JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA
In this image made off video footage recorded Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 and aired later in the day in "A Current Affair" program by Australia's Channel Nine, Australian radio DJs Michael Christian, left, and Mel Greig appear during an interview with the TV station. The two managed to impersonate Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles and received confidential information about the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition, which was broadcast on-air. The controversial prank took a dark twist three days later with the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, a 46-year-old mother of two, who was duped by the DJs despite their Australian accents. (AP Photo/Channel Nine) AUSTRALIA OUT, TV OUT, NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY
Japan Self-Defense Force personnel work on a ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor set up on alert against North Korea's planned rocket launch Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012 in Miyako, Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan. North Korea is pressing ahead with preparation for a long-range rocket launch after extending its liftoff window by another week until Dec. 29 because of technical problems. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, FRANCE, HONG KONG, JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA
FILE - This April 5, 2009 file image made from KRT video, shows the launch of a missile in Musudan-ri, North Korea. North Korea fired a long-range rocket Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012, South Korean officials said, defying warnings from the U.N. and Washington only days ahead of South Korean presidential elections. (AP Photo/KRT TV, File) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea defied international warnings and fired a long-range rocket Wednesday, the second launch under its new leader and a clear sign Pyongyang is pushing forward with its quest to develop the technology needed to deliver a nuclear warhead. Pyongyang’s state …