North Korea in missile riddle

North Korea may have test-fired a short-range missile off its eastern coast, the Japanese government said. It was the first suspected missile launch by Pyongyang since a test in April.

Cabinet Office spokesman Yukinori Morita and the Defence Agency said the government had received an unconfirmed report about a land-to-ship missile firing into the Japan Sea around noon.

But they said they had not verified the information.

The missile would not have posed any immediate security threat to neighbouring countries, an agency official said. He said the report indicated the missile had a range of about 60 miles. It was believed the firing would have been part of “routine training,” he said.

Japanese officials would not say where they received the report.

The apparent test-launch came as US President George Bush met with leaders from 21 nations at the annual Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum in Bangkok, Thailand, where the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea and terror attacks has dominated the agenda.