North Korea on Friday failed in its anticipated satellite launch, with the rocket splintering into pieces. The North should not attempt another launch or nuclear test, which will only contribute to heightening tensions in the region.
The launch came after its young leader Kim Jong Un was promoted to the post of the first secretary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Wednesday. The post was newly created in an attempt to strengthen his grip on power nearly four months' after the death of his father, and a the previous leader, Kim Jong Il.
Under the pretext of peaceful space development, the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite, ostensibly an Earth observation satellite, was mounted on the Taepodong-2 rocket. Although the third and last stage of the rocket had been expected to fall into the sea east of the Philippines about 3,000 km from the launch site near the Yellow Sea, the first stage fell into the sea about 165 km west of Seoul and the second and third stages failed.