North Korea fails again with new missile test: S Korea

Seoul: North Korea tried but apparently failed in its latest test Wednesday of what was suspected to be a powerful, new medium-range rocket capable of striking US bases in Guam, South Korea`s Defence Ministry said.

A ministry official said the North fired an unidentified missile off its east coast shortly before 6:00 am (2100 GMT Tuesday).

"The launch appears to have failed," the official said, without elaborating.

On Tuesday, Japanese and South Korean media quoted military officials saying Pyongyang was readying another launch of its mid-range Musudan ballistic missile.

The North has already made four previous failed attempts this year to test fly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles).

The lower range covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam.

UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, although it regularly fires short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast.