A North Korean ballistic missile test ended in failure when it exploded five seconds after launch, two US officials tell Fox News.
(FOX)- North Korea attempted to launch an intermediate-range Musudan missile, the first attempted launch of this type of missile since President Trump took office.
“The missile blew up five seconds after launch,” said one official, who had seen satellite imagery of the launch showing a heavily damaged mobile launcher on a runway. The test occurred at an air base near the city of Wonsan on North Korea’s east coast along the Sea of Japan.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it also believes the launch ended in failure. It said it was analyzing what type of missile was launched.
The reported launch failure comes as the North has angrily reacted to ongoing annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
Earlier this month, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles that landed in waters off Japan, triggering strong protests from Seoul and Tokyo.
Wednesday’s failure might mean that the missile is a newly developed one the North has not deployed, according to South Korean media. Last year, the country suffered a series of embarrassing failed launches of its new medium-range Musudan missile before it successfully test-fired one.