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In this monitor screen image taken by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo by the Korea News Service, the Unha-3 rocket lifts off from a launch site on the west coast, in the village of Tongchang-ri, about 56 kilometers (35 miles) from the Chinese border city of Dandong, North Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea successfully fired a long-range rocket on Wednesday. JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
PYONGYANG, North Korea—South Korea says that a satellite North Korea launched aboard a long-range rocket is orbiting the Earth normally but it's unknown whether it is functioning properly.

North Korea defiantly launched the rocket Wednesday and its state media quickly announced it placed an observation satellite into orbit.

Seoul and Washington condemned the launch as a cover for testing banned ballistic missile technology but they said the launch appeared to be successful.

South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters Thursday that the satellite is orbiting at a speed of 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) per second but it's not known what mission it is performing.

He says it takes two weeks

South Korean protesters hold the pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a rally denouncing North Korea's rocket launch in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea successfully fired a long-range rocket on Wednesday, defying international warnings as the regime of Kim Jong Un took a giant step forward in its quest to develop the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead. The letters read "Out, Pro-North Korea politic." ((AP Photo/Lee Jin-man))
to determine whether a satellite works successfully after liftoff.

Kim cited data from the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

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South Korean protesters burn the pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korean flags and mock missiles during a rally denouncing North Korea's rocket launch in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea successfully fired a long-range rocket on Wednesday, defying international warnings as the regime of Kim Jong Un took a giant step forward in its quest to develop the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead. ((AP Photo/Lee Jin-man))



In this monitor screen image taken and released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo by the Korea News Service, the Unha-3 rocket lifts off from a launch site on the west coast, in the village of Tongchang-ri, about 56 kilometers (35 miles) from the Chinese border city of Dandong, North Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. North Korea successfully fired a long-range rocket on Wednesday. JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION ((AP Photo/Korea Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION)