An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council has strongly condemned an overnight rocket launch by North Korea.

The secretive communist state claims it was launching a satellite, but observers believe it was a long-range missile test.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan was among those who have condemned the launch, saying it is a serious and direct threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

The US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power says the North Koreans are trying to develop nuclear missiles: