Washington/Seoul, Oct 20 (IANS): North Korea has made another failed attempt to launch a medium-range missile, the US military authorities announced, only five days after an unsuccessful test for a similar projectile was carried out.

The launch of the Musudan a medium-range missile with an estimated 2,500 to 4,000 km range, took place at 6.30 a.m., on Wednesday from near Kusong town, according to a Strategic Command (STRATCOM) provided to Efe news on Thursday by the US Forces South Korea.

The new missile test by North Korea has been the eighth Musudan test since last April, with six successes and two failures.

In the previous launch last week, the missile exploded shortly after takeoff, according to research by the US authorities.

The US Army strongly condemned the missile test, reiterating that it violated UN Security Council resolutions "to limit the development of nuclear weapons in North Korea".

The US has also urged the Kim Jong-un regime to "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme" and reaffirmed its willingness to go to the UN to impose even greater punishments for such "provocations".

A new draft resolution to punish North Korea for its latest nuclear test on September 9 was still pending in the UN Security Council.