North Korea missile launch under way, photos show

North Korea has begun preparing for a rocket launch next month despite international condemnation, satellite images show, as Japan vowed Friday to shoot down the projectile if it poses a threat. ..... The nuclear-armed North insists it will go ahead with what it calls the peaceful launch of a scientific satellite from its Tongchang-ri site in the far northwest.

The United States and other nations say the exercise is a disguised long-range missile test, in breach of UN resolutions and of a US-North Korean deal reached last month.

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"Unless some major setback occurs, the North Koreans will be able to launch during the declared launch window starting April 12," it said.

The North has said it will launch the satellite some time in the morning between April 12-16 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of founding president Kim Il-Sung.

It says it will estimate crop yields and collect weather data, among other civilian missions, and rejects strong criticism from leaders including US President Barack Obama.

con. http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1638 ... hotos-show

Navy Deploys SBX-1 From Pearl Harbor To Head Off North Korea Rocket Launch

The US Navy has announced it has deployed its most advanced scanning and tracking technology to the Pacific in anticipation that it may need to shoot down a North Korea space rocket scheduled to launch in April.

US officials claim the rocket is an intercontinental ballistic missile and South Korea has warned they will shoot it down if it strays over their territory.

US intelligence services have produced satellite photos which they claim shows that North Korea is retrofitting the rocket to carry a nuclear warhead .

The US is making taking all precautions to make sure they will be able shoot down the rocket if needed.

Top defense officials acknowledged that as a precautionary measure the odd looking SBX-1 system deported from Pearl Harbor and set sail toward North Korea on March 23rd with a crew of 86 civilians on board.

con. http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/0 ... ch-108572/

South Korea prepares to shoot down North Korean rocket

South Korea is preparing to shoot down a North Korean rocket if it strays into the South's territory during a launch planned for next month, the defence ministry said on Monday.

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Seoul is concerned that the first stage of the rocket, scheduled to drop into the Yellow Sea between South Korea and China, may fall onto the South's territory, the spokesman said.

"We are preparing measures to track the missile's trajectory and shoot it down if it, by any chance, deviates from the planned route and falls into our territory," he said without elaborating.

Japan has said it may do likewise if the rocket strays over its territory.

con. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ocket.html