North Korea's Intermediate-Range Missile Launch Fails

North Korea has test fired probably an intermediate-range missile Musudan which failed immediately following the launch on Thursday.

An intermediate-range Musudan missile blasted soon after takeoff at 6:30 Pyongyang time, the US and South Korean military monitors were quoted as saying by various media on Wednesday.

Few hours before the launch, the US and North Korea agreed to step up efforts to counter the nuclear and missile threats of North threats in a meeting. The US secretary of state John Kerry said, “if North Korea uses any nuclear weapon to attack the US soil or its allies, then the nation will be met with an effective and overwhelming response."

The missile was launched from the western city of Kusong.  “On Saturday, the isolated country had tried launching the same type of missile but failed,” US Strategic Command and South Korea's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

This failed missile launch is the eighth attempt in seven months by the North to launch a weapon with a design range of 3,000 km (1,800 miles) that can be fired from road mobile launchers, the two militaries said.

Earlier in June, North Korea launched a Musudan missile that flew about 400 km (250 miles). The flight was considered a success by South Korea and the US.

North Korea would continue to launch satellites despite its rival South's objections, the space agency of the country said in a statement.