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North Korea 'tests banned missiles' North Korea test-fires missiles in defiance of UN sanctions
(about 1 hour later)
Reports from South Korea say the North has tested two banned missiles, with the first launch ending in failure. North Korea has test-fired two mid-range ballistic missiles within hours of each other in defiance of UN sanctions, says South Korea.
South Korean military officials say the two rockets are both powerful, intermediate-range Musudans. Military officials in the South said both were powerful Musudan missiles.
The first launch failed while the success of the second was still being analysed.
North Korea is banned by UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology because of its nuclear weapons programme.
Four other missiles tested in the last two months are reported to have either exploded mid-air or crashed.Four other missiles tested in the last two months are reported to have either exploded mid-air or crashed.
North Korea, which is pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, is banned by UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said if the latest test was confirmed to be of a ballistic missile, it "clearly cannot be tolerated".
The fate of the second missile tested was not immediately clear.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, condemned North Korea's missile testing as intolerable.
Surrounding countries had detected preparations for a launch in the past few days and warned that it was about to happen.Surrounding countries had detected preparations for a launch in the past few days and warned that it was about to happen.
The Musudan has a reported range of 3,000km (1,800 miles) - enough for it to hit South Korea, Japan and the US base of Guam. Japan had said it would shoot down the missile if it entered Japanese airspace.
North Korea is thought to have about 50 of them, the BBC's Korea correspondent, Steve Evans, reports. 'Determination'
North Korea's opponents had watched with trepidation as the first missile was truck moved into a launching position. The Musudan is believed to have a range of about 3,000km (1,800 miles), enough for it to hit South Korea, Japan and the US territory of Guam in the Western Pacific.
Japan said it would shoot down a missile if its trajectory was over the country. But North Korea is thought to have dozens of them but has never successfully tested one.
The failure of the first missile illustrates the technological difficulties North Korea faces as it develops a nuclear arsenal and the means to attack distant targets, our correspondent says. The BBC's Steve Evans in Seoul says failure of the first missile illustrates the technological difficulties North Korea faces as it develops a nuclear arsenal and the means to attack distant targets.
Repeated testing also illustrates a determination to succeed, he adds.Repeated testing also illustrates a determination to succeed, he adds.