North Korea fired an ‘unknown projectile’, but the launch failed

Seoul, South Korea: South Korea said North Korea fired an unidentified projectile, but on Wednesday the launch apparently failed.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch took place from the Pyongyang area at around 9:30 a.m. before an apparent failure.
North Korea was expected to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile soon in its most significant provocation since 2017.
US and South Korean forces said last week that North Korea had tested an ICBM system in two recent launches, referring to the developmental Hwasong-17 missile that North Korea carried during a military parade in October 2020. was unveiled.
In two recent launches on February 27 and March 5, North Korean missiles struck a medium range, and experts have said that North Korea may eventually conduct a full-range ICBM test.
The North has said it tested cameras and other systems for a spy satellite and released photos taken from space during those tests, but did not confirm which rocket or missile it launched.
Experts say North Korea aims to increase its ICBM capability while trying to put its first spy satellite into orbit. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to acquire an improved ICBM and a spy satellite among a range of sophisticated weapon systems he says are needed to counter US hostilities.
The Hwasong-17 is North Korea’s largest missile, which can potentially fly up to 15,000 kilometers (9,320 mi), enough to strike anywhere in the US and beyond. The 25-metre (82-foot) missile, which was shown again at a defense exhibition in Pyongyang last year, has yet to be test-launched.
North Korea has already demonstrated its ability to reach the US mainland in 2017 with flight tests of other ICBMs, the Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15. Some analysts say that developing a larger missile could mean the country is trying to build its own long-range weapon. Weapons with multiple warheads to overcome missile defense systems.
In recent months, North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests, which experts say are attempts to modernize its arsenal and put pressure on the Biden administration as denuclearization talks stalled.