The following is a chronology of major events leading to North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Wednesday.

-- August 31, 1998: North Korea fires its first ballistic missile, the Unha-1 rocket, also known as the Taepodong-1 missile, from the launch site of Musudan-ri in North Hamgyong Province.

-- July 4, 2006: North Korea fires the more advanced Taepodong-2 missile at the launch site of Musudan-ri.

-- April 5, 2009: North Korea launches the Unha-2 rocket at the launch site of Musudan-ri with the attendance of leader Kim Jong-il and his son Kim Jong-un.

-- April 13, 2012: North Korea fires off a long-range rocket, the

Unha-3 rocket, from the Dongchang-ri launch site in North Pyongan Province.

-- December 1, 2012: North Korea says it will launch a working satellite, the Kwangmyongsong-3, on the carrier rocket Unha-3, between Dec. 10 and 22.

-- December 10, 2012: North Korea extends the rocket launch window until Dec. 29, citing technical problems in the first-stage control engine module.

-- December 12, 2012: North Korea launches a long-range rocket from the Donchang-ri launch site in North Pyongan Province. (Yonhap News)