NORTH KOREA’s much-feared long-range rocket launch ended yesterday with a fizz not a bang, travelling barely 100km (62 miles) to explode over the sea separating the Korean peninsula and China.
The failure marked an embarrassing setback for the newly installed leader of the country in the face of international outrage over the attempt.
The launch was in breach of United Nations Security Council sanctions, and Pyongyang had also defied pressure from its ally China in pushing ahead with the launch, which it said was to put a weather satellite into orbit.
South Korea, the United States and Japan said the rocket was a disguised missile test. Pyongyang is trying to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead long range, even as far as the US.
“Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure,” the official Korean Central News Agency said in a report, which was also read out in a news broadcast on state-run television. It is a rare admission of failure, as normally even failed missions are deemed successes.
The North was using the launch to celebrate the 100th birthday of the dead founding president Kim Il-sung, and mark the ascent to power of his grandson Kim Jong-un.
The missile took off at 7.38am yesterday and broke into two parts after about two minutes. It crashed into the sea after travelling a much shorter distance than a previous North Korean launch.
The two Koreas are divided by the world’s most heavily militarised border and remain technically at war after an armistice ended the Korean War in 1953.
South Korea believes that the North will now go ahead with its third nuclear test to show its military strength and to save face after the rocket failed to deliver a satellite into orbit.
“The possibility of an additional long-range rocket launch or a nuclear test, as well as a military provocation to strengthen internal solidarity is very high,” a senior South Korean defence ministry official told a parliamentary hearing.
North Korea’s neighbour and ally China called for calm and restraint on the Korean peninsula after North Korea admitted its long-range rocket had failed.
“We hope all parties can maintain calm and restraint and not do anything to harm peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a brief statement on the ministry’s website.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the impoverished North has been kept going largely by aid from China, its ideological ally which fought alongside North Korea in the Korean War and says it is “as close as lips and teeth” to its neighbour.
Beijing failed to convince Pyongyang not to go ahead with the launch and Chinese authorities conceded that they were not given advance notice about its exact timing.
There will be questions now about Kim Jong-un’s leadership, as he is a largely unknown quantity. The fizzling-out of the launch presents the third of the Kim dynasty to rule North Korea with a challenge, just months into his leadership.
His rule is contingent on the support of the military, and continuing with the nuclear programme is believed to be a significant factor in that support.
There had been signs of a possible warming of relations with the West, especially after a “Leap Year” deal several months ago, where Washington agreed to provide food aid if Pyongyang promised not to launch any more long-range rockets or carry out nuclear tests.
The state newspaper Rodong Sinmun described Mr Kim as “the sun whom all the party members, service personnel and people of the DPRK acclaimed out of their heartfelt desire”.
North Korea’s neighbours had been worried that the missile could threaten their territory.
The last rocket in 2009 travelled 3,800km , flying over Japan.
The US condemned the launch.
“Despite the failure of its attempted missile launch, North Korea’s provocative action threatens regional security, violates international law and contravenes its own recent commitments,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
There are also likely to be renewed calls for tougher sanctions on North Korea.
