North Korea said Thursday it will continue to test new missiles despite the failed launch of what it claims was a space rocket earlier this month. A spokesman for the North's Outer Space Technology Committee in a statement said the agency found a "detailed scientific reason" behind the failure of the latest rocket launch and vowed to continue sending "peaceful satellites" into space.

"The world will clearly see us emerge victorious in our struggle for justice and truth to protect our sovereignty as they observe our majestic satellites flying ceaselessly into infinite space," the statement said.

In other words, the North is determined to continue testing long-range missiles, despite a strongly-worded condemnation from the UN Security Council. It vowed to strengthen its missile program under a comprehensive state project based on state-of-art technology.

A South Korean government source said North Korea transported not one but two rockets on March 24 from its missile production facility near Pyongyang to the Tongchang-ri launch pad. "Although the latest launch was a failure, another missile is sitting in a facility in Tongchang-ri ready to be assembled," the source added.

The other missile is believed to be similar to the one that was launched earlier this month.