North Korea fails in attempt to launch spy satellite

SEOUL/TOKYO -- North Korea unsuccessfully attempted to launch a rocket carrying a reconnaissance satellite on Monday night, Pyongyang's state media reported, hours after a trilateral summit among China, Japan and South Korea that took place in Seoul.

A dispatch by the North's official news agency in the early hours of Tuesday said the launch failed in midair due to an explosion that occurred in the first stage of the rocket's flight.