N.Korea rocket debris fall into sea off S.Korea

Seoul– North Korea’s rocket disintegrated into several pieces and the debris fall into the Yellow Sea off South Korea, Yonhap news agency said.

“The debris fell into the sea some 190km-200km (118-124 miles) west of (the southwestern port of) Kunsan,” a high ranking military source was quoted as saying by Yonhap.

A defense ministry spokesman said he was checking the report.

A South Korean analyst told Yonhap TV that the launch may have failed after the first stage of the rocket failed to separate.

North Korea has said the rocket would place a satellite in orbit for peaceful research purposes, but Western critics see the launch as a thinly veiled ballistic missile test, banned by United Nations resolutions.

North Korean officials had no immediate comment Friday on reports of the launch but said an announcement would be made before 9 am (0000 GMT).