"The government called for an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers related with national security," he said on condition of anonymity.

A South Korean defence ministry official also confirmed the missile launch.

"It is true that North Korea fired missiles. We don't have any more information at this moment," said a defence ministry spokesman, Colonel Kang Yong-Hee said.

Choo Kyu-Ho, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, also said the government was preparing a statement on the missile launch. He declined to give further details.

North Korea has test fired at least two missiles and possibly a third, a Pentagon official said.

CNN television, citing unnamed senior State Department sources, reported that North Korea had launched at least three missiles early Wednesday -- one of them the long-range Taepodong-2 missile.

One source said it appeared the Taepodong-2 test failed in midair, the network said.

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