US: Failed North Korean missile exploded 'within seconds'

A North Korean missile fired Wednesday exploded "within seconds of launch," according to US Pacific Command. US officials confirmed North Korea had attempted to launch a missile near Kalma, on the country's east coast, but early reports suggest it failed.
"South Korea and the US are aware of the missile launch and to their knowledge North Korea's missile was not successfully launched," South Korea's Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Neither the US nor South Korea have released information on what type of missile was fired, or why it failed. The US Pacific Command said it was working with partners to assess it further. At a daily press briefing Wednesday, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying again called on all parties on the Korean Peninsula, including South Korea and the United States, to "exercise restraint."
"The current situation on the peninsula is extremely tense -- 'everyone with his dagger drawn' would be a fair description," she said.
The attempted launch comes four days after the North Korea announced it had tested a new rocket engine, describing it as a "great leap forward" in their missile program.
US defense officials told CNN the engine could be used for a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.
It isn't the North Korea's first launch this month -- the country fired four intermediate-range ballistic missiles on March 6, which fell into waters off Japan. Three of them landed less than 200 nautical miles off the Japanese coast, antagonizing the South Korean and Japanese governments.