South Korean military says DPRK's attempted test-launch of missile fails

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) attempted early Sunday to test-fire an unidentified missile on its east coast, which was believed to have failed, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The JCS confirmed the botched missile launch, saying it is still analyzing what type of missile was launched.

On April 5, the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile at a nearby region on the east coast, but it fell in eastern waters after abnormally flying about 60 km.

At the time, the South Korean military identified it as Pukguksong-2, an intermediate-range ballistic missile known to be newly developed based on a technology of submarine-launched ballistic missile.

The failed show of force by the DPRK came amid mounting tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which was caused by the USS Carl Vinson and its accompanying warships that have re-routed and headed to the peninsula about a week earlier.

The DPRK held a massive military parade on Saturday to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of DPRK founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of current top leader Kim Jong Un.

During the parade, the DPRK showed off what were believed to be three types of intercontinental ballistic missile.

South Korea's top presidential advisor for security affairs, Kim Kwan-jin, planned to convene a meeting of national security council at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday morning.

The security council meeting would be attended by ministers of foreign affairs, unification and defense as well as intelligence agency chief and senior presidential secretary for security and foreign affairs.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is serving as acting South Korean president following the impeachment of Park Geun-hye.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is set to arrive in South Korea later Sunday for his trip to Asia. Pence is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Hwang and hold a joint press conference in Seoul on Monday.

Source: Xinhua