Despite the intense rhetoric of the North Korean state media and the angry reaction of the United States, Japan and South Korea, life in Pyongyang continues as usual.

As the South Koreans used to live with the threat from its neighbor, the North Koreans are not concerned about the possibility of war, they were told all their lives that the US is ready to invade the country any day. Speaking on the streets of the North Korean capital before the official launch, Jong HAK said that North Koreans "love the world".

Others were more aggressive. A resident of Pyongyang, Ri Hyun-Il said before the statement that you need "real action". North Korea is ready to conduct potentially dangerous rocket launch close to its most populated city and send a message the US or any other potential attacker that the humanitarian risks of pre-emptive strike can be massive.

Returning to the train station, the trolleybus driver Kim sung-Hyun said that North Korea "is simply acting in self-defence".
sections: Society, World News