The rocket took off shortly before 10 a.m. local time, flew south over the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and the Philippines, according to Japanese military authorities who tracked it closely because of the potential threat it posed to its Okinawa prefecture.

North Korea issued a brief statement saying the rocket successfully launched a satellite into space. Other countries saw the launch as a cover for a test of long-range missile technology. The U.S. military confirmed the trajectory of what it called a missile and said, "Initial indications are that the missile deployed an object that appeared to achieve orbit." A senior U.S. official also said late Tuesday that the North Korean missile appeared to successfully launch what could be a satellite into orbit.

Financial markets in Asia showed little initial reaction to the launch.

U.S. officials have been closing monitoring Pyongyang's preparations in recent weeks worried about the national-security and diplomatic implications.