North Korea said its attempt to launch a second spy satellite failed when the rocket carrying it exploded shortly after takeoff on Monday.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency said the rocket exploded during a first-stage flight because of a possible engine malfunction, the Associated Press reported. The hermit nation is also exploring other possible causes of the failure.

The launch came as leaders of South Korea, China, and Japan met in South Korea. The gathering is the first time in four years that the three countries have held a trilateral meeting.

North Korea’s claims about its satellite launches have been met with skepticism from the United States and its allies, who contend that the launches are a guise for testing long-range ballistic missiles.

Japan briefly issued a missile warning for part of Okinawa on Monday because of the attempted launch.

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South Korea’s Unification Ministry branded the attempted launch as “a provocation that seriously threatens our and regional security.”

North Korea put its first satellite into orbit last November.