North Korea Launches Rocket

(CNN) North Korea has launched a long-range rocket, U.S. and South Korean officials confirmed to CNN on Sunday.

The payload of the rocket remains unclear. North Korea has said the rocket was to carry a satellite into space, but the United States, South Korea and other nations fear it could be a missile with a warhead attached.

A senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed that the rocked did clear Japan.

The rocket was launched at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday (10:30 p.m. ET Saturday).

Here are some of my observations going back to October, 2006.

North Korea Plans Atomic Test

Biden to North Korea: We Will Annihilate You

North Korea Tests Atomic Bomb

What the US Should Do About North Korea

Inviting Kim to Disneyland