North Korea conducts rocket launch in likely 2nd attempt to put spy satellite into orbit

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korea has launched a long-range rocket. South Korea’s military says in a statement the launch involved what the North called “a space launch vehicle.” It gave no further details. But it is likely to be the North’s second recent attempt to put a spy satellite into space. Earlier this week, Japanese officials said North Korea told it that the North plans to launch a satellite in the coming days. In late May, a North Korean rocket carrying a spy satellite plunged into the sea soon after liftoff, posing a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to establish a space-based surveillance system to better monitor the U.S. and South Korea. North Korea had since vowed to make a second attempt.