PYONGYANG, April 5 (RIA Novosti) - North Korea said on Sunday that its multistage rocket had successfully delivered a communications satellite into orbit.

"Our scientists and technicians succeeded in delivering an artificial satellite, Kwangmyongsong-2, into orbit with the carrier rocket Unha-2 in accordance with the national space development plan," the official Korean Central News Agency (KSNA) reported.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket with a communications satellite at 11:30 a.m. (02:30 a.m. GMT) over Japan on Sunday, defying pressure from the United States, Japan and South Korea and other countries, which suspect the communist regime of testing its Taepodong-2 long-range missile.

According to KCNA, the satellite was now transmitting data and revolutionary songs to praise the communist regime's current and former leaders.