North Korean technicians check the Unha-3 rocket at the Sohae Satellite Launch Station in Tongchang-Ri on April 8, 2012.
North Korea said its attempt to launch a new military reconnaissance satellite ended in failure on Monday when a newly developed rocket engine exploded in flight.
North Korea fired the projectile on a southern path off its west coast at around 10:44 p.m. (1344 GMT), the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The launch appeared to originate from Dongchang-ri, a northwestern area of the country where North Korea's main space flight centre is based, JCS said.
Japan said over its J-Alert broadcasting system that North Korea appeared to have fired a missile, sending out the warning to residents in southern prefecture of Okinawa.
Persons:
Yoshimasa Hayashi, Hayashi
Organizations:
North Korea's National Aerospace Technology Administration, South's, Chiefs, Staff, North, NHK
Locations:
Tongchang, North Korea, Pyongyang, North, South Korea, Japan, China, Dongchang, Korean, Korea, Okinawa