MOSCOW (Sputnik) – If confirmed, this would be the second failed launch of the Musudan missiles (also known as Rodong-B or BM-25) this month. Seoul accused Pyongyang of launching the same type of missile on April 15.
"The projectile, presumed to be a Musudan, was fired around 6:40 a.m. [21:00 GMT] from the vicinity of Wonsan, but it appears to have plunged to the earth a few seconds later," the Yonhap news service said, quoting a military official.
The unnamed South Korean military official assessed that "it is highly likely that the launch failed."
In early January, North Korea successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, putting a satellite into orbit a month later, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. In March, North Korea conducted multiple short and medium-range rocket launches.
In response to North Korea's recent activities, South Korea and the United States have launched large-scale military drills in the region. The exercises, expected to last through April 30, include rehearsals of strikes on North Korea’s missile and nuclear facilities in case of war. Pyongyang has labeled the drills as provocation.
