North Korea's second reconnaissance satellite launch fails

SEOUL - Pyongyang's second attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite into space has failed, state media reported on Thursday.

The launch of a rocket carrying the Malligyong-1 spy satellite took place in the early hours of Thursday from a site in North Pyongan province, German news agency (dpa) quoted the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The agency reported that the first and second stages of the rocket launch went as planned, but then failure struck "due to an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight".

North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) said that it would attempt a third launch in October following an investigation into the reasons of the failure, KCNA said.

On Thursday morning, the Japanese government said North Korea had fired a missile across southern Japan towards the Pacific. There were no reports of damage following the launch

The missile was launched from North Korea's Tongchang-ri space launch complex and flew over Okinawa in southern Japan towards the Pacific Ocean. Japan informed people in affected areas via the J-Alert warning system.

The government in Tokyo earlier in the week said it had been notified that Pyongyang intended to launch a satellite into space between Aug 24 and 31.

Pyongyang had first attempted to launch what it called a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit on May 31, but it failed.

Space and long-range missiles are largely based on the same technology, according to experts.

The United States, Japan and South Korea condemned the failed launch in May, accusing Pyongyang of using technology directly related to its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) programme.

North Korea is prohibited from testing ballistic missiles by UN resolutions. Depending on their design, such missiles can be equipped with one or more nuclear warheads. - BERNAMA-dpa