DPRK fires ballistic missile, breaks up within minutes of launch

World Today

File photo: a submarine-launched ballistic missile is displayed in Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang, DPRK, to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country’s late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea test-fired a ballistic missile early on Saturday from a region north of its capital, Pyongyang, Yonhap news agency reported citing South Korea’s military.

There were no immediate details about the missile or its flight, Yonhap said.

The AP reported that a U.S. official said the DPRK tested what was likely a medium-range ballistic missile.

The official said the missile broke up a couple minutes after the launch and the pieces fell into the Sea of Japan.

The official was citing an American assessment and said it appeared to be a medium-range KN-17 ballistic missile.

The official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity.