The South Korean military says it has recovered a part of a North Korean projectile from the Yellow Sea following the unsuccessful launch of a claimed space launch vehicle.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said what appears to be part of the rocket was brought up in waters over 200 kilometers west of Eocheong Island, which is some 60 kilometers west from Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.

A military official said that the part was salvaged from about 70 meters underwater in seas roughly midway between South Korea and China. 

Multiple government sources said the Navy deployed a salvage vessel to the Yellow Sea following Pyongyang's announcement of the launch earlier this week. A number of Chinse naval vessels were also situated in the area. 

After collecting the part, authorities are expected to verify the projectile's overall performance, foreign component composition, and the North's technological standard.

Around 6:29 a.m., the North launched what it claims was a space vehicle from the Tongchang-ri region in North Pyongan Province, which eventually fell into the sea following an abnormal flight.