North launches 'space launch vehicle,' warnings mistakenly sent to Seoul residents

The first emergency cellphone text message sent to Seoul residents at 6:41 a.m., left, advised them to seek shelter. The second message sent at 7:03 a.m. said it was issued in error. [YONHAP]

Air raid sirens sounded across Seoul Wednesday morning as an emergency alert was mistakenly sent to residents after the South Korean military detected the launch of a North Korean projectile, which it later said flew west of the peninsula.

Seoul sent the initial warning in a text message at 6:41 a.m., advising residents to seek shelter.

But the warning was rescinded in another message via the emergency communication system at 7:03 a.m. that said the earlier warning was "sent in error."

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff also confirmed that the projectile, which North Korea claims is a "space launch vehicle," flew west toward the Yellow Sea.

The Ministry of Interior and Safety said in a public announcement text message sent at 7:25 a.m. that the earlier warning was issued due to a North Korean missile launch and clarified adding that the warning had been lifted.

North Korean state media earlier reported that the regime plans to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite within two weeks to monitor "dangerous" military activity by the United States and South Korea.

In an English-language statement carried by the state-controlled Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday, Ri Pyong-chol, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party Central Military Commission, said Pyongyang's planned satellite launch an "indispensable" step to strengthen its self-defense capabilities.

The statement was released the same day the North notified the International Maritime Organization that it plans to launch a satellite between Wednesday and June 11.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]