Beijing: China on Friday called for call and restraint on the Korean peninsula after North Korea admitted its much hyped long-range rocket failed to deliver a satellite into orbit.
"We hope all parties can maintain calm and restraint and not do anything to harm peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a two-line statement on the ministry`s website.
Pyongyang had defied pressure from the United States, China and others to push ahead with the launch it said was to put a weather satellite into orbit. North Korea said on Friday a satellite carried by a rocket it launched earlier in the day did not enter orbit, confirming neighbouring countries` claims the long-range rocket launch ended in failure.
"Scientists, technicians and experts are currently verifying the cause of the failure," North Korea`s official KCNA news agency said. Earlier, US and South Korean officials said North Korea`s much hyped long-range rocket crashed into the sea a few minutes after launch.
Bureau Report