SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea launched a long-range rocket this morning in defiance of repeated international protests, but it failed to reach orbit, breaking apart soon after blasting off, U.S. and South Korean officials said.
The three-stage rocket — carrying a satellite that Pyongyang said was intended for weather observation — was fired from a launch pad in North Korea’s northwest at 7:39 a.m. local time but quickly separated into several pieces, South Korean officials said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command said the first rocket stage fell into the Yellow Sea and the remaining stages failed.
Western nations, including the U.S., view the satellite launch as a cover for a long-range missile test because it requires comparable technology.
A successful launch would have raised international concerns about North Korea’s advancing weapons technology, marking a key step in its mission to build a weapon that can reach the U.S., according to officials.
But the failure of the Unha-3 rocket, following Pyongyang’s two previous failed satellite launches, suggests that the North still hasn’t perfected the delivery system for an intercontinental weapon.
“This is their third unsuccessful test. What it shows is that they are still having enormous difficulties with the long-range missiles. But you have to keep in mind, it doesn’t mean they’re not a threat,” said Mike Green, a former White House national security director on Asia. “Technologically, this shows they are still years away, but you must remember they have hundreds of well-tested short-range missiles that can be aimed at Japan and U.S. assets,” including military bases in Asia.
North Korea had intended the launch as the centerpiece of a centennial celebration of the birth of founder Kim Il Sung. The week-long festivities include a rare political conference and, on Sunday, a military parade.
But by going ahead with the launch, North Korea also sparked immediate international outrage and could face new measures from the United Nations. The country is one of the world’s most heavily sanctioned, and existing U.N. resolutions ban the North from conducting weapons tests using missile technology.
The White House still described the launch as a “provocative action” that threatens regional security and violates international law.
In a statement, White House spokesman Jay Carney said any missile activity by North Korea is of concern to the international community. The White House has said a launch would jeopardize planned food aid.
Security experts fear that the Korean peninsula could remain tense for months to come, particularly if Pyongyang follows up its satellite launch with an underground missile test, something it did in 2009.
Days ago, South Korean officials, citing satellite images, told reporters about new excavation activity at a nuclear site in the North. The images, South Korean officials said, indicated that the North was preparing for a third nuclear test.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
