North Korea, as expected, launched a large multi-stage rocket at the weekend. Parts of the stack fell on either side of Japan. Pyongyang claims that a satellite was put into orbit: Japanese and US air-defence commanders have stated this is untrue.
According to the US Northern Command, the rocket was a "Taepodong-2" long-range missile, which launched at 3:30 PM UK time on Saturday. US and Japanese warships equipped with SM-3 ballistic missile interceptors were on station in the Sea of Japan, but officials of both governments had previously stated that the North Korean rocket would not be interfered with unless it threatened US or Japanese territory.
More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/06/nork_rocket_launch/
A commercial satellite, passing over the Sea of Japan at the weekend as North Korea made an unsuccessful attempt to launch its first satellite into orbit, obtained a remarkable snap of the rocket stack in flight.
More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/08/nork_rocket_snapped_in_flight/