North Korea launches a rocket in what may be its third attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korea has launched a rocket in what may be its third attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit. The military in Seoul says a rocket was launched late Tuesday. North Korea’s two previous attempts failed because of technical reasons. North Korea had vowed a third launch and says it needs a spy satellite to deal with what it calls increasing U.S.-led military threats. South Korea retrieved debris from the first launch and called the satellite too crude to perform military reconnaissance. South Korea’s military recently suggested it could suspend a 2018 inter-Korean agreement to reduce tensions and resume front-line aerial surveillance and firing exercises if the North went ahead with its launch.