North Korea's state media stayed mum on the country's launch of what appeared to be a new intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Wednesday that the North launched a presumed ballistic missile from Pyongyang's Sunan area at around 9:30 a.m., but determined that it failed soon after takeoff. The missile is said to have exploded in mid-air at an altitude below 20 kilometers.

However, the North's official media outlets, such as the Korean Central News Agency and the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, made no mention of the launch.

North Korean media usually report on such launches and release related photos the next morning.

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s apparently failed launch, the North’s media appear to be staying silent, as any news of the test would require acknowledgement of technological flaws to some extent.

[Photo : YONHAP News]