Failed North Korean missile test may have fallen near capital Pyongyang, South Korea says

Seoul, South Korea CNN —

A ballistic missile launched by North Korea on Monday might have had an “abnormal” flight trajectory and could have fallen inland, possibly near the capital of Pyongyang, the South Korean military said.

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles on Monday morning, according to reports from the South Korean, American and Japanese governments.

The missiles, launched at 5:05 a.m. and 5:15 a.m. local time, had two different flight distances, 600 kilometers (373 miles) for the first and 120 kilometers (75 miles) for the second, according to a statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

When asked about the disparate distances, Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the JCS, in a briefing said, “There is the possibility that the second launched missile had an abnormal flight in the early stage.”

“If it had exploded during an abnormal flight, there is the possibility that debris fell inland,” Lee said, clarifying that an “explosion” is one of many possibilities. The military is “comprehensively analyzing” various possibilities.

He added that no damage has been confirmed so far.

South Korea said the first missile, with the 600-kilometer (373-mile) flight distance, was a short-range ballistic missile, but Lee would only say the second was “a ballistic missile,” which leaves open the possibility of it being a new weapon.

According to JCS, the two missiles were launched northeastward from the Changyon-gun area of South Hwanghae province, about 130 kilometers (81 miles) southwest of Pyongyang.

If the missile exploded after flying 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeastward from Changyon-gun, the debris could have landed near Pyongyang, based on the distance traveled from the launch site.

The JCS