North Korea rocket launch fails

North Korea's keenly watched rocket launch has failed, Pyongyang has confirmed.

The rocket - seen by many as a banned test of long-range missile technology - was launched from north-west North Korea early on Friday.
The US, Japan and South Korea say it flew only for a short time before breaking up and crashing into waters off the Korean peninsula.

North Korea said its scientists were assessing what had caused the failure.
North Korea says the aim of the launch was to put a satellite into orbit - a move marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder Kim Il-sung

But the US and other nations say the launch constituted a disguised test of long-range missile technology banned under UN resolutions.

In a statement, the White House condemned the launch, despite its failure. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the launch deplorable.
The UN Security Council is due to meet later in the day to discuss the launch. China, North Korea's closest ally, has called for calm and restraint on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un has been appointed "first chairman" of the National Defence Commission, state media say. His late father, Kim Jong-Il, was made the body's "eternal chairman".
Rocket debris The 30m (100ft) Unha-3 rocket went up at 07:39 local time (22:39 GMT Thursday), South Korean officials said.

Its intended flight path would have taken it south, to the west of the Korean peninsula between Japan and the Philippines.
Both Japan and South Korea had threatened to shoot it down if it threatened their territory.
But officials from several nations observing the launch said the rocket had failed.
"Initial indications are that the first stage of the missile fell into the sea 165km (105 miles) west of Seoul, South Korea," the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said in a statement.
Japan reported similar details.

"At approximately 07:40 we confirmed that a certain flying object was launched from North Korea and fell after flying for just over a minute," Japanese Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka said.
South Korea said the rocket exploded into some 20 pieces and fell into the sea.
"We are conducting a search operation to retrieve the fallen objects," a defence ministry official said.

brought to iNewsGh by Miles Adongo
source: bbc

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