On February 7 , 2016 , roughly a month after an alleged hydrogen bomb test , North Korea claimed to have put a satellite into orbit around the Earth . Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe had warned the North to not launch the rocket , and if it did and the rocket violated Japanese territory , it would be shot down . Nevertheless , North Korea launched the rocket anyway , claiming the satellite was purely intended for peaceful , scientific purposes . Several nations , including the United States , Japan , and South Korea , have criticized the launch , and despite North Korean claims that the rocket was for peaceful purposes , it has been heavily criticized as an attempt to perform an ICBM test under the guise of a peaceful satellite launch . China also criticized the launch ; however it urged " the relevant parties " to " refrain from taking actions that may further escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula "
alleged hydrogen bomb test
January 2016 North Korean nuclear test
Kwangmyŏngsŏng program