North Korea has attempted two other launches this year. Photo: Internet Source

 North Korea's KCNA news agency confirmed the launch, saying Kim Jong Un oversaw it and that the rocket had "accurately put the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1' on its orbit." 

KCNA also reported that the country plans to launch additional satellites in the near future.

The White House on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea over its space launch calling it a "brazen violation" of UN sanctions that could destabilize the region.

Earlier on Tuesday, North Korea had notified Japan that it planned to launch a rocket carrying a military satellite in the direction of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea at some point between November 22 and December 1.

But the launch came earlier, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's office posting on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday: "North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile."

Pyongyang's previous efforts to put a spy satellite into orbit in May and August both failed, and Seoul, Tokyo and Washington had repeatedly warned Pyongyang not to proceed with another launch, which would violate successive rounds of UN resolutions.

Space launches and ballistic missiles have significant technological overlap, according to experts, and Pyongyang is barred by UN resolutions from any tests involving ballistic technology.

What are North Korea's satellite plans?
North Korea has conducted a record number of weapons tests this year.

Successfully putting a spy satellite into orbit would improve its intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly over South Korea, and provide crucial data in any military conflict, experts say.

It has earlier made attempts to launch "observation" satellites, two of which appeared to have successfully reached orbit including one in 2016. However, South Korean officials have raised doubts as to whether they are transmitting any signals.

Neither Seoul nor Tokyo could verify whether Tuesday's missile launch had resulted in a satellite actually being placed in orbit or not.