SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) successfully launched a space rocket and sent its reconnaissance satellite into orbit late Tuesday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.

The National Aerospace Technology Administration conducted the Tuesday launch. The new-type carrier rocket "Chollima-1", carrying the reconnaissance satellite "Malligyong-1", was launched at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at around 22:42 local time (1342 GMT), said the report.

The carrier rocket flew normally along the preset flight track and accurately put the reconnaissance satellite in its orbit, it said.

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, oversaw the launch on the spot and extended his warm congratulations on the successful launch, the report said.

The country's aerospace agency plans to launch several more satellites "in a short span of time," it said.