Seoul, Feb 4: North Korea appears to be preparing to launch a long-range missile, according to South Korea’s defence ministry and Japanese media.
Activity has been spotted at a launch station on the west coast of the isolated nation.
Earlier this week Pyongyang announced it was planning to launch a satellite at some point in February. The announcement was internationally condemned – critics say it is a cover to test banned missile technology.
North Korea also conducted its fourth nuclear bomb test on January 6.
South Korean state news agency Yonhap reported defence ministry officials as saying that activity had been spotted at a site in Dongchang-ri, where the Sohae launching station is located.
The officials said South Korea was ready to intercept any missile falling in its territory, while President Park Geun-hye said a long-range missile launch should never be condoned.
Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, citing unnamed officials, also reported similar news, and added that a mobile launcher carrying a ballistic missile had also been seen moving near the east coast.
