In Pics | Panic hits Seoul after North Korea attempts satellite launch
Chollima-1
In data provided to international authorities before the launch, North Korean authorities said the rocket would fly south, with stages and other debris expected to fall over the Yellow Sea and into the Pacific Ocean.
Engine failure
As per reports from KCNA, the Korean Central News Agency, the North Korean rocket plunged into the sea after losing thrust due to instability in the engine and fuel system.
Debris found
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military was conducting operations to salvage parts of the failed satellite. The military of South Korea shared pictures of a large cylindrical object floating in the sea about 200 km (124.27 miles) off the west coast island of Eocheongdo.
Emergency evacuation
Air raid sirens wailed across Seoul, South Korea at about 6:32 am (2132 GMT on Tuesday) as the city warned its citizens to prepare for a potential evacuation. The Japanese government also issued an emergency warning over its J-Alert broadcasting system for residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa to take cover indoors early on Wednesday morning.
International community condemns North Korea
Several countries including the US, Japan and even the United Nations condemned the launch. A spokesperson for the UN said that any launch by Pyongyang using ballistic missile technology breached Security Council resolutions.
'Will stay vigilant'
In a statement by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the US, South Korea and Japan strongly condemned the satellite launch and the three countries said they will continue to “stay vigilant with a high sense of urgency”.
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