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| South Korea launches first rocket | South Korea launches first rocket |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| South Korea has successfully launched its first space rocket, which is carrying a scientific satellite. | South Korea has successfully launched its first space rocket, which is carrying a scientific satellite. |
| The two-stage Naro rocket lifted off from an island off the south coast. | The two-stage Naro rocket lifted off from an island off the south coast. |
| The launch was watched with excitement by millions of people in South Korea, but is being viewed with suspicion by the country's northern neighbour. | The launch was watched with excitement by millions of people in South Korea, but is being viewed with suspicion by the country's northern neighbour. |
| North Korea was recently subjected to UN sanctions for its own rocket launch, which was widely regarded as a cover for a long-range missile test. | North Korea was recently subjected to UN sanctions for its own rocket launch, which was widely regarded as a cover for a long-range missile test. |
| No North Korean satellite has been detected in space, although Pyongyang insists its rocket launch worked and the device is now orbiting the earth transmitting revolutionary melodies. | No North Korean satellite has been detected in space, although Pyongyang insists its rocket launch worked and the device is now orbiting the earth transmitting revolutionary melodies. |
| Huge leap forward? | Huge leap forward? |
| The 33m-high KLSLV-1 is South Korea's first space rocket | The 33m-high KLSLV-1 is South Korea's first space rocket |
| South Korea's half-a-billion dollar bid to join the exclusive club of space-faring nations is an attempt to place a scientific observation satellite into orbit. | |
| If successful in its mission, South Korea will become only the tenth country with the ability to carry out such launches from their own soil. | If successful in its mission, South Korea will become only the tenth country with the ability to carry out such launches from their own soil. |
| Before this, South Korea had always relied on other countries to put its satellites into orbit. | Before this, South Korea had always relied on other countries to put its satellites into orbit. |
| It initially planned to launch the rocket in late July, but delayed it several times due to technical problems. Tuesday's launch, though, went according to plan. | |
| The KSLV-1 rocket is 33m long and weighs some 140 tonnes. Its Russian liquid-fuelled first-stage is said to produce 1,700 kilonewtons of thrust at launch. | |
| The second stage, which burns a solid fuel, was produced by South Korean engineers. It is intended to generate 80kN of thrust and is designed to place the Earth observation satellite into its final orbit just a few hundred kilometres above the planet. | |
| Seoul has rejected any comparison with Pyongyang's rocket launch and says its rocket is part of a peaceful civilian space programme. | Seoul has rejected any comparison with Pyongyang's rocket launch and says its rocket is part of a peaceful civilian space programme. |
| But some security analysts have suggested that a commercial space programme could still alter the long-term strategic balance in North East Asia, as all rocket technology has potential military uses. | But some security analysts have suggested that a commercial space programme could still alter the long-term strategic balance in North East Asia, as all rocket technology has potential military uses. |