Signs of possible N Korea missile launch

Seoul: North Korea appears to be readyinganother test of a powerful, new medium-range missile,following a series of failures for a ballistic weaponsprogramme that aspires to threaten the US mainland, multiplereports said today.

Japanese and South Korean media quoted official sourcesas saying North Korea looked to have deployed a so-calledMusudan missile near its east coast.

The North has made four failed attempts this year to testfly the Musudan, which has an estimated range of anywherebetween 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles).

The lower range covers the whole of South Korea andJapan, while the upper range would include US military baseson Guam.

"We have detected signs that the North has deployed whatappears to be a Musudan missile," South Korea's Yonhap newsagency quoted an unidentified government official as saying.

Japan's Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK bothcited unidentified sources as saying preparations for amissile launch might be underway.

The Defence Ministry in Seoul declined to confirm thereports, but said it was "closely monitoring the situation."UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballisticmissile technology, although it regularly fires short-rangemissiles into the sea off its east coast.

Kyodo said Japan's military had been ordered to interceptany missile or falling parts that might threaten Japaneseterritory.

First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a militaryparade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has neverbeen successfully flight-tested.

Three failures in April were seen as an embarrassment forthe Pyongyang leadership, coming ahead of a rare ruling partycongress that was meant to celebrate the country'sachievements.

The latest attempt in May was also deemed to havefailed.