North Korea moved a missile to a launch site this month but there has been no credible intelligence yet that the country is preparing to test-fire it, South Korean and Japanese officials said yesterday.
Reports that North Korea may be getting ready to test launch a type of ballistic missile that some analysts say could reach the US come close on the heels of new moves by Washington to find ways to improve relations with the communist state.
They also come as the US and others renew calls for the North to return to multinational talks on ending its nuclear programs, and as Washington wields pressure through sanctions and other methods.
But analysts said test firing a long-range missile would drastically escalate tension in Northeast Asia and likely set back international efforts to persuade North Korea to disarm and open up to the outside world.
Two Japanese media outlets reported yesterday that movement has been observed near a missile base in northeastern North Korea since earlier this month, quoting unidentified South Korean government officials who cited satellite photographs.
Japan's public television broadcaster NHK reported the officials said a missile, possibly a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile, had been brought to the site.
US officials say the a 35m-long Taepodong-2 has a firing range of 15,000km that could reach as far as the US mainland.
Kyodo News agency had a similar report.
South Korean and Japanese officials said yesterday they could not confirm a Taepodong-2 has been moved to the site.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso told a parliamentary committee the government was aware of the North's missile movement, but not much else.
"In fact, we understand that it [the missile] has been brought to the site," he said. "But we are not sure about any subsequent moves. We are collecting information. The general information we have now is conflicting."
A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy, that the government was seeking details.
"The government is closely monitoring and making many-sided efforts to confirm, but [such signs] haven't reached a credible level," the official said.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service said it was checking the reports.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said his government didn't expect an immediate test.
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