North Korea admits failure after satellite crashes into sea

WASHINGTON

North Korea on Wednesday admitted that its new-type satellite carrier rocket "Chollima-1" crashed into the West Sea of Korea.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the military reconnaissance satellite "Malligyong-1" loaded on the new-type satellite carrier rocket "Chollima-1" was launched at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County of North Phyongan Province.

However, it crashed into the West Sea of Korea and lost thrust due to the abnormal start of the second-stage motor after the first-stage separation while making a routine flight.

The country's National Aerospace Development Administration said that it would investigate the rocket's failure and carry out the second launch as soon as possible through various partial tests.

Meanwhile, the South Korean National Security Council (NSC) condemned the military satellite launch and called it a "serious provocation threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond."

"The NSC standing committee members emphasized that this launch, regardless of whether it succeeded, was a grave violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a serious provocation threatening peace and safety on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community, and condemned this," the Seoul based Yonhap News agency citing the statement issued from the presidential office after the NSC emergency meeting.

Japan also lodged a protest with North Korea over the launch, as the top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said it is under analysis whether the projectile was a rocket with a satellite.

Pyongyang notified the Japan Coast Guard of three maritime danger zones in which an object could land during the launch period between Wednesday and June 11, according to Tokyo-based Kyodo News.

Earlier, the authorities of South Korea's capital mistakenly issued an emergency alert Wednesday instructing citizens to prepare for evacuation after North Korea launched a suspected space launch vehicle.

The erroneous mobile phone alert was sent to all residents of Seoul at 6.41 a.m. (2141GMT Tuesday) but was retracted by the Interior Ministry at 7.03 a.m.

At 6.29 a.m., South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff observed a launch originating from Dongchang-ri on North Korea's west coast. The projectile traversed the waters west of South Korea's border island of Baengnyeong.

"Our military is trying to confirm whether it flew normally. While elevating its vigilance posture, our military, in close cooperation with the United States, is maintaining a full readiness posture," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

*Islamuddin Sajid contributed to the story