North Korea tested an apparent medium-range missile early Sunday that "blew up almost immediately," the U.S. military and government officials said — the latest act of defiance in the face of calls by Washington to rein in its nuclear and missile programs.
The failed launch, which was detected from a site near a North Korean submarine base in the city of Sinpo, came just a day after Pyongyang showcased its military might in a parade marking the birth of the country's founder, where it displayed a variety of old and new weaponry, including technology that pointed to possible plans for new long-range missiles.
Sunday's failure also occurred hours before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence landed in Seoul for the first leg of an Asia trip, including a stop in Japan from Tuesday to Thursday.