North Korea's Satellite Launch Fails, Rocket Explodes Mid-Flight

The failed launch occurred amid heightened diplomatic activity in the region, including a trilateral summit between South Korea, Japan, and China.

North Korea attempted to launch a military reconnaissance satellite but the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff.
The launch failure follows two other unsuccessful attempts last year, though the country did successfully place a satellite in orbit in November.
The incident coincided with a rare trilateral summit in Seoul, where leaders from South Korea, Japan, and China discussed denuclearization.
Japan issued and then lifted a missile warning for its southern islands after detecting the failed launch.
The U.S. and South Korea condemned the launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.