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WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to refrain from further provocations amid reports of an imminent missile launch by the Asian nation.
State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Washington was monitoring the situation and coordinating "closely" with its allies and partners.
"As we've said many times before, a ballistic missile launch would be a clear violation of North Korea's obligations under numerous (UN) Security Council resolutions," he told reporters at a regular news briefing.
"It would only further isolate DPRK, undermine its goal of economic development," he added. "So we urge the DPRK to refrain from taking further provocative actions."
Citing intelligence, the Republic of Korea's (ROK) Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that it is highly likely that the DPRK would launch a mid-range missile "at any time from now on."
Ventrell said the US was taking "a range of prudent measures, " including missile defense, to defend itself and allies against threats posed by the DPRK.
Tensions have been heightened on the Korean Peninsula since the DPRK conducted its third nuclear test on February 12 in protest against joint military drills between Seoul and Washington.
The DPRK has declared "a state of war" with the South and threatened to launch a preemptive nuclear strike for self-defense.
The country on Tuesday urged all foreign organizations, companies and tourists in the South to evacuate in case of war, saying the DPRK "does not want to see foreigners in South Korea fall victim to the war" as the situation on the peninsula "is inching close to a thermonuclear war."
"We don't have a recommendation for American citizens to take any particular precautions at this time," Ventrell said.
【新聞快訊】
據中新網援引韓國國際廣播之聲報道，韓國軍方11日表示，朝鮮雖然已做好發射導彈的準備，但目前尚未發現有任何動靜。韓國軍方稱，部署在日本海元山一帶的“舞水端”導彈已注入了液體燃料，只待發射。朝鮮有可能同時發射幾種不同類型的導彈。
當地時間2013年4月6日，朝鮮中央電視臺公開短程地對空導彈系統畫面。朝鮮導彈“箭在弦上”引起多方猜測，韓國、美國、日本紛紛提高警戒態勢或進入嚴防模式，緊張應對一切不測事態。
雖然有攔截朝鮮導彈的能力，但美國軍方仍對此持保守態度。美軍太平洋司令部司令洛克利爾9日在參議院表示，如果朝鮮發射導彈威脅到美國本土、海外部隊與盟友，他建議將其攔截，但不建議不問“青紅皂白”攔截朝方導彈。
然而，盡管朝鮮稱半島局勢已經處于“一觸即發”之際，朝鮮國內的局勢卻與韓美日的“戒備”形成鮮明對照，首都平壤氣氛祥和，多地都在為已故領導人金日成誕辰日的到來做準備。
