[Courtesy of Rodong Sinmun]
The launch was detected at 5:30 am (2030 GMT) from a base on North Korea's east coast where the isolated country used to have tested different types of ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), the South's joint chiefs staff (JCS) said.
"We're still trying to collect more information, but our immediate assessment is that the launch appeared to be a failure," a JCS spokesman told Aju News. "Its type and other details will be disclosed later."
Friday is the 104th birthday of North Korea's founding father Kim Il-sung, one of its biggest national holidays. Earlier reports in Seoul said Pyongyang had deployed one or two Musudan mid-range missiles near the eastern port city of Wonsan.
South Korea and US military authorities have maintained a close watch on North Korea's missile movement to see whether a Musudan missile was loaded onto a mobile launcher called TEL (transporter-erector-launcher) because such a test would be the first time in the nuclear-armed country.
The Musudan with an estimated range of more than 3,000 kilometers (1,860 miles) could reach as far as Guam. It was first revealed to the international community in a military parade in 2010. There has been no indication that the missile system was operational.
Friday's launch comes amid growing concern about North Korea's mobile launch system. In April 2013, US intelligence detected North Korean troops setting up Musudan erector platforms at various locations on multiple occasions, but no launches took place.
North Korea has pushed for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a miniaturized nuclear warhead. Mobile long-range systems are of particular concern if North Korea succeeds in miniaturizing an atomic bomb.
The North's nuclear and long-range rocket tests this year triggered tough UN sanctions, but Kim Jong-un has vowed to step up the development of atomic bombs, claiming Pyongyang had already acquired re-entry technology, despite doubts about its ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to be mounted on an ICBM.
In March, Kim also hailed the "successful" test of a solid-fuel engine that can be used for Nodong medium-range missiles. Solid fuel is more stable and convenient than liquid fuel, and scientists say it will help North Korea reduce the size and launch time of missiles.
John Schilling, an aerospace engineer, wrote in an article posted by 38 North, a US research website, said the solid-fuel engine test appeared to be "real and successful", representing a step forward in its ballistic missile program.
North Korea probably is now focusing on the development of a solid-fuel medium-range missile which requires little maintenance and can be launched on a few minutes' notice, the expert said, adding a shortened launch time is particularly important for Pyongyang because South Korean missiles can reach targets anywhere in the North in 15 minutes or so.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
