North Korea extending rocket launch period by week to Dec 29

SEOUL (AP) - North Korea says it's extending the launch period for a controversial long-range rocket by another week until Dec 29.

An unidentified spokesman for the North's Korean Committee of Space Technology told state media on Monday that scientists found a "technical deficiency in the first-stage control engine module of the rocket".

The statement didn't elaborate.

It says technicians are "pushing forward" with final preparations for the launch.