NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday condemned the "provocative" satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying it would further exacerbate tensions in the region.

"This launch is in direct violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874. This provocative act exacerbates tensions in the region and risks further destabilizing the Korean Peninsula," Rasmussen said in a statement.

The NATO chief urged Pyongyang to "fulfill their obligations under international law, to comply fully with the will of the international community as expressed by the UN Security Council and the moratorium on missile launches."

The DPRK successfully launched a satellite into orbit earlier on Wednesday, the country's official KCNA news agency reported.