SEOUL, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) sought to launch a ballistic missile into its eastern waters early Friday, but the attempt is estimated to have failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The projectile is believed to have been a medium-range Musudan missile, the JCS was quoted as saying.

South Korea's military had reportedly dispatched an Aegis-equipped destroyer to the East Sea to detect and track the possible launch of mobile Musudan missile.

The DPRK had deployed one to two mobile Musudan missiles about three weeks earlier to its eastern Wonsan area. The Musudan missile is allegedly capable of striking parts of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska.