North Korea is preparing to fire up to two ballistic missiles that have the range to hit Japan or the US base on the Pacific island of Guam, intelligence reports have suggested.
It is thought the launch will take place on Friday to mark the birthday of the late Kim il-Sung, founder of the communist North Korean state.
South Korea's Defence Ministry declined to confirm the reports by Yonhap, a South Korean news agency.
"North Korea has been detected to have deployed a Musudan missile in the vicinity of Wonsan's Hodo Peninsula,” an anonymous official said, initially speaking about just one missile.
"After deploying them some 20 days ago, the North has not withdrawn them. Given that fact, North Korea is likely to venture a launch on the occasion of Kim il-Sung's birthday."
US intelligence officials have also been monitoring the movement of the missiles, according to CNN.
If a Musudan missile is fired, it would be the first launch of a rocket of this type.
Also known as the BM-25, the ballistic missile is an intermediate-range device capable of hitting targets up to 2,485 miles away, posing a potential threat not only to South Korea or Japan, but also to the Pacific island of Guam, which hosts a strategic US naval base.
Kim Jong-Un, North Korea’s ruler, has spoken of his ambition to test a nuclear missile. The country has also defied international sanctions and carried out ballistic missile tests in the past without significant incident.
North Korea has developed a number of other types of missiles, but the KN-08 and KN-14 intercontinental ballistic missiles, with ranges of around 5,592 miles, are considered to be its most dangerous. The missiles are seen as especially problematic as they can be easily moved by vehicles to different locations, as opposed to being fired from fixed positions which are easier to monitor.
The launches, if they go ahead, could be timed to mark the 104th birthday of the, Kim il-Sung, also known as the ‘Day of the Sun.’
Falling on 15 April, this is the most important holiday of the year in the strictly authoritarian state of North Korea. It is often marked by huge celebrations, including choreographed dances, parades and firework displays.
