Suspected North Korea Missile ‘Explodes in Mid-Air’ After Launch Near Pyongyang

A North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 9, 2017. Edgar Su/Reuters

SEOUL—North Korea launched a suspected missile that appeared to explode shortly after liftoff in the skies over Pyongyang on March 16, South Korea’s military said, amid reports that the nuclear-armed North was seeking to test-fire its largest missile yet.

The United States and South Korea have warned that North Korea may be preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at full range for the first time since 2017, in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.