Earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) earlier Friday morning failed to enter orbit, the official KCNA news agency reported.

The satellite was launched at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at 07:38 a.m. on Friday, said the report.

South Korea, the United States, and Japan earlier confirmed the failure of the DPRK rocket launch.

South Korea's Defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seook said in a statement on Friday that the Unha-3 rocket appears to have separated into several pieces before crashing into the sea a few minutes after takeoff.

(China.org.cn, CNTV April 13, 2012)

據(jù)朝中社報(bào)道，朝鮮周五早間發(fā)射的地球觀(guān)測(cè)衛(wèi)星“光明星3號(hào)”未能進(jìn)入軌道。

周五早上7時(shí)38分，朝鮮在平壤以北的鐵山郡西海衛(wèi)星發(fā)射場(chǎng)發(fā)射了這枚衛(wèi)星。

韓國(guó)、美國(guó)、日本均已確認(rèn)朝鮮火箭發(fā)射失敗。

韓國(guó)國(guó)防部發(fā)言人金珉奭稱(chēng)，“銀河3號(hào)”火箭在發(fā)射數(shù)分鐘后即解體并墜入海中。