Yoon briefed immediately after N.K. rocket launch

SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol was briefed immediately after North Korea's launch of what it claimed was a space rocket and continues to be updated in real time, his office said Wednesday.

North Korea fired the rocket at around 6:30 a.m., according to South Korea's military, going ahead with a launch it said would take place between Wednesday and June 11. The North later acknowledged failure in the launch and vowed to try again as soon as possible.

"President Yoon Suk Yeol received his first briefing immediately after the launch of 'North Korea's claimed space launch vehicle' at 6:29 a.m. today and continues to be briefed in real time," the presidential office said in a notice to reporters.

A National Security Council (NSC) meeting led by National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong began at 9 a.m. and is currently under way, it said, adding a separate security situation assessment meeting was held before that.

"The NSC is also assessing the possibility of additional developments occurring," the presidential office said without elaborating.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectile fell into waters some 200 kilometers west of the South's southwestern island of Eocheong after an "abnormal" flight.

North Korea's space agency later acknowledged the rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite crashed into the Yellow Sea due to an engine defect and that it plans to conduct an additional launch in the near future, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.

hague@yna.co.kr
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