United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called North Korea's failed rocket launch "deplorable," joining South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and foreign ministers from the Group of Eight nations including Russia who united in condemnation of Kim Jong-un's regime. North Korea had defied international warnings to conduct the test of a rocket. In a rare admission of weakness, the North Korean government issued a statement admitting the failure, but said that scientists and technicians are looking into possible causes. In retaliation, the White House cut off food aid to North Korea, which has suffered from devastating famines in recent years.
