The Wire

A “major provocation” and a threat to the peace and security of the region and beyond. That’s how North Korea’s latest rocket launch is being described by global leaders. Pyongyang says they have launched an “earth observation satellite”, but the move is being seen as an effective test of their missile launching capabilities. It’s a stepping up of tensions in the region, following the country’s fourth nuclear test in January. But how serious is the threat? And will the move be as strategic as leader Kim Jong Un hopes?