North Korea fails in attempt to launch mid-range missile

North Korea has test-fired a mid-range ballistic missile from the western part of its country, but the launch apparently failed, South Korea and the United States said.

The test will be condemned by outsiders as yet another step in the North’s push for a nuclear-tipped missile that can strike the US mainland.

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said in a statement that the North fired the unidentified missile from around Pukchang, which is near the capital Pyongyang, but provided no other details. A US official said the missile was likely a medium-range KN-17 ballistic missile. It broke up a couple of minutes after the launch and the pieces fell into the Sea of Japan.

A South Korean military official also said without elaborating that the launch was believed to be a failure.The official could not immediately confirm how far the missile flew or whether it had exploded shortly after launch.

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North Korea routinely test-fires a variety of ballistic missiles, despite United Nations prohibitions, as part of its weapons development. While shorter-range missiles are somewhat routine, there is strong outside worry about each longer-range North Korean ballistic test.

The launch comes at a point of particularly high tension. US president Donald Trump took an initial hard line with Pyongyang and sent a US aircraft supercarrier to Korean waters. His diplomats are now taking a softer tone.

Following the failed launch, Mr Trump said on Twitter: “North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!”

He did not answer reporters’ questions about the missile launch upon returning to the White House from a day trip to Atlanta. North Korea did not immediately comment on the launch.

On Friday, the United States and China offered starkly different strategies for addressing North Korea’s escalating nuclear threat as Mr Trump’s top diplomat demanded full enforcement of economic sanctions on Pyongyang and urged new penalties. Stepping back from suggestions of US military action, he even offered aid to North Korea if it ends its nuclear weapons programme.

The range of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s suggestions, which over a span of 24 hours also included restarting negotiations, reflected America’s failure to halt North Korea’s nuclear advances despite decades of US-led sanctions, military threats and stop-and-go rounds of diplomatic engagement.