N Korea’s advanced missile near China

NORTH KOREA has transported its most advanced missile, believed to be capable of reaching Alaska, to a launch site on its west coast near China, news reports said.

The country is also said to have been bolstering its defences and conducting land and naval assault exercises along its western shore, near disputed waters where deadly naval clashes with the South have occurred.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said the missile had been sent by train to the newly completed missile facility of Dongchang-ni, about 60km from the Chinese border.

Yonhap, quoting government sources, said the missile could be ready to launch in a week or two. SouthKorean media have speculated that the North wants to time the launch for around June 16, when South Korean President Lee Myung- bak has a summit in Washington with US President Barack Obama.

US defence secretary Robert Gates, speaking at a news conference in the Philippines, said NorthKorea appears to be working on a long-range missile but it’s not clear yet what they plan to do with it.

Lee, hosting a conference of south-east Asian leaders on the southern island of Jeju, warned the North against any provocation.

“If North Korea turns its back on dialogue and peace and dares to carry out military threats and provocations, the Republic of Korea will never tolerate that,” Lee said.

“I want to make clear that there won’t be any compromise on things that threaten our nation’s security.”

In another sign that a new launch is in the works, the North has designated a large area off its west coast as a “no-sail” zone through the end of next month, the South Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo said, citing unidentified intelligence officials.

Yonhap said North Korean troops conducted amphibious [land and naval] assault manoeuvres along with west coast.

Other media carried similar reports.

The missile being prepared for launch is believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of up to 6,500km, the Joong Ang Ilbo newspaper reported, citing an unnamed South Korean official. That would put Alaska within striking range.