North Korea’s test-firing of its Musudan missile Thursday failed, the South Korean and US militaries said, marking the second time in less than a week the communist state has botched the launch of the weapon that can supposedly strike a US base in Guam.

The intermediate-range ballistic missile was fired around 7 a.m. near the northwestern city of Kusong, North Pyongan Province. It was the same spot where Pyongyang conducted the Musudan’s test last Saturday, which failed after a midair explosion.

“South Korea and the US jointly assessed that the failed missile looks to be a Musudan, and (North Korea) appears to have pushed ahead with the provocation to redeem its failure on Oct. 15,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, confirming a statement by the US Strategic Command earlier in the day. “The military strongly condemns North Korea for continued illegal provocations, and is on full alert for further provocations.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the launch a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolution that bans the North from any ballistic missile or nuclear programs.

“The continued provocations will only intensify economic hardship and isolation of North Korea in the international community, and will prompt new UNSC sanctions, unilateral sanctions of our allies, while strengthening the will of the international society for global pressure,” it said in a statement.

Musudan is believed to have a maximum range of over 3,500 kilometers. It has been deployed in the field since 2007, but only one out of eight test-launches – that conducted in June -- has been successful to date.

Thursday’s launch came hours after the South Korean ministers of defense and foreign affairs met their US counterparts in Washington. During the meeting, the allies agreed to establish a high-level consultation group for the US’ extended deterrence. Extended deterrence refers to the threat of US nuclear retaliation in the event of an attack on its allies.

Countermeasures on growing threats from Pyongyang have been the focal point of Wednesday’s talks, and are expected to dominate Thursday’s Security Consultative Meeting of the allies’ defense ministers.

Security experts have assessed that Thursday’s missile launch is believed to be a show of protest against Seoul-Washington alliance’s plans to enhance extended deterrence.

Japan, which falls under the theoretical range of Musudan, responded angrily by protesting to Pyongyang via the Japanese embassy in Beijing.

South Korea and the US on Wednesday agreed on the importance of even stronger economic sanctions on North Korea, particularly after Pyongyang’s Sept. 9 nuclear test.

North Korea is already under international economic sanctions included in the UNSC Resolution 2270, intended as punitive action against its January nuclear test and February long-range rocket launch.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)