UK Summons N. Korean Ambassador over Rocket Launch

Britain summoned North Korea's ambassador Monday to condemn Pyongyang's announcement that it had put a satellite into orbit with a rocket launch.

The move announced Sunday was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test and was swiftly criticized by the U.N. Security Council.

"I summoned North Korea’s Ambassador today to make clear in the strongest terms the UK’s condemnation of the launch this weekend," Britain's Asia Minister Hugo Swire said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.

"This test, even if characterized as a space launch vehicle or launch of a satellite, clearly contributes to North Korea’s development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions."

The U.N. has said it will speed up work on a sanctions resolution in response to what it called "these dangerous and serious violations."

Sunday's launch followed Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test last month, which drew international condemnation and prompted China and the United States to open negotiations on new, tougher U.N. sanctions.