South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council after North Korea launched a long-range rocket in defiance of international warnings, an official said.

Immediately after the North fired the rocket, Lee was briefed on the launch and headed to the crisis management room at the presidential office for a detailed briefing. Lee also convened an emergency NSC meeting for 10:30 a.m., presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said. (Yonhap News)