North Korea fails in new missile test: Seoul

This undated picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People's Army (KPA) during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Nuclear-armed North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on March 6 in another challenge to President Donald Trump, with three landing provocatively close to America's ally Japan. / AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS / STR / South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. THIS PHOTO IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY AFP. /
This undated picture released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean People’s Army (KPA) during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
Nuclear-armed North Korea launched four ballistic missiles on March 6 in another challenge to President Donald Trump, with three landing provocatively close to America’s ally Japan. / AFP PHOTO

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — A new North Korean missile test failed on Wednesday, the South’s defence ministry said, two weeks after Pyongyang launched four rockets in what it called a drill for an attack on US bases in Japan.

“South Korea and the United States are aware of the North Korean missile launch,” said a spokesman for Seoul’s defence ministry, adding they “suspect it was a failure”.

The ministry did not identify the type of missile used in the test.

Japanese Kyodo news service, citing an unidentified government source, said the North might have launched several missiles Wednesday morning.

The missiles were possibly launched from North Korea’s east, Kyodo’s source said, adding that there was information that the launches were a failure.

Nuclear-armed North Korea launched four ballistic missiles earlier this month, with three landing provocatively close to America’s ally Japan.

The launches come as Seoul and Washington hold large-scale annual joint military exercises that always infuriate Pyongyang, which sees them as a rehearsal for invasion.

© Agence France-Presse