Seoul, Apr. 6 : North Korea said on Monday that its leader Kim Jong-il was present at Sunday's controversial rocket launch and praised scientists after watching a satellite propelled into orbit.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Kim was briefed on preparations for the launch before observing the entire process from the command centre.

Seoul, Apr. 4 : Weather conditions on Saturday have reportedly prevented North Korea from going ahead with the launch of its missile on Saturday.

"We thought the launch was likely today, but weather conditions at the (North Korea) rocket base may not have been favourable," South Korea''s Yonhap news agency quoted a presidential Blue House official as saying.

Seoul  - North Korea on Saturday let a self-set window for a planned rocket launch pass by.

The communist state, which announced plans to launch a communications satellite between Saturday and Wednesday let a previously set launch window between 11 am and 4 pm (0200 to 0700 GMT) pass amid speculation that strong winds prevented the launch.

Seoul - North Korea has begun final preparations for its controversial long-range rocket launch and could fire the weapon as early as Saturday, South Korean media reported on Friday.

"North Korea seems to have almost finished fueling the rocket, so it is highly likely it will launch it," The Korea Times quoted an anonymous government official as saying.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak plans to convene a meeting of the National Security Council, and would send a special envoy to North Korea, the paper said.

Seoul - North Korea on Wednesday threatened to shoot down US spy planes flying entering its airspace ahead of a planned satellite launch.

The state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station accused the United States and South Korea in a radio broadcast of violation of North Korean airspace.

At least 190 reconnaissance flights had occurred in March alone, including flights over the Musudan-ri launch site on North Korea's east coast, the South Korean Yonhap news agency quoted the station as saying.