UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations on Thursday said that the latest launch of ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is "extremely troubling," and urged Pyongyang to stop any "further provocative action."

"We would just repeat that these type of actions by the DPRK are extremely troubling and we would yet again encourage the DPRK to cease any further provocative actions and return to full compliance of its international obligations," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

The DPRK on Thursday fired what was believed to be a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, but it appeared to have failed, South Korea's defense ministry said.

A South Korean Defense Ministry official told Xinhua on the phone that the DPRK launched a projectile, estimated to have been a Musudan missile, at about 6:40 am local time from the Wonsan area in northeastern DPRK.

The official said the launch appeared to have failed as the projectile was believed to have crashed several seconds after liftoff.

If confirmed, it would mark the DPRK's second test-firing of a Musudan missile after the launch on April 15. South Korea's military saw the April 15 launch as failure as the missile exploded in mid-air several seconds after liftoff.

Also on Thursday, the UN Security Council met behind closed doors on the DPRK's latest missile launch at the request of the United States, diplomats and UN officials said here.