North Korea satellite launch ends in explosion

STORY: North Korea’s latest failed satellite launch Monday was captured in black and white clips shared by South Korea’s military.

Just hours earlier, Pyongyang had declared plans to conduct a launch by June 4, potentially giving it a second spy satellite in orbit.

Instead, it became North Korea’s third failed launch, after two other fiery crashes last year.

The launch appeared to come from Dongchang-ri, a northwestern area of the country where North Korea’s main space flight centre is based.

Pyongyang says the failed liftoff was due to problems with a new liquid fuel rocket motor.

But added other possible causes were being investigated.

Japan alerted its residents in the south to North Korea’s launch.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi condemned Pyongyang, but said Japan did not try to shoot down the satellite.

North Korea successfully placed its first spy satellite in orbit last November, after earlier setbacks in May and August.

U.S. space experts say North Korea’s satellite, dubbed the Malligyong-1, was “alive” after detecting changes in its orbit, which suggest Pyongyang was successfully controlling the spacecraft – although its capabilities remain unknown.

North Korean state media reported that the satellite had transmitted photos of the Pentagon and White House, among other areas, but has not released any of the images.

Pyongyang’s latest launch also came hours after a rare three-way summit between South Korea, Japan and China in Seoul – where the countries reaffirmed a common interest in North Korea’s denuclearization.