North Korea missiles moved away from launch site

North Korea has taken two Musudan missiles off launch-ready status and moved them from the country's east coast, US officials told Reuters on Monday, after weeks of concern that Pyongyang had been poised for a test-launch.    

US Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea last month that it would be a "huge mistake" to fire the medium-range missiles. The prospects of a test had put Seoul, Washington and Tokyo on edge, especially following nearly two months of bellicosity from Pyongyang that included threats to attack South Korea and the United States.    

The move to shift the missiles follows a reduction in rhetoric from Pyongyang.    

One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missiles were still mobile and the fact they had been moved was no guarantee they would not be set up elsewhere and fired at some point.    

"It is premature to celebrate it as good news," said another US official, Daniel Russel, the senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council.    

However, a third US official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States did not believe the missiles had gone to an alternate launch site and that they were now believed to be in a non-operational location.    

The Musudan missiles have a range of 3,000 to 3,500 kilometers (1,900 to 2,200 miles). They have not been tested before.    

In Seoul, South Korea's Defense Ministry declined to confirm any movement of the missiles, saying it was still tracking the North's missile activities, indicating it had yet to conclude Pyongyang had shelved plans for a launch from its east coast.    

"We have said we'd be able to speak publicly when the North has completely withdrawn (the missiles)," said ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok.    

In another sign North Korea is shifting its focus away from confrontation, its official media on Tuesday carried reports of leader Kim Jong-un giving "field guidance" on construction work done by the military. Similar reports were issued on Monday.    

The North's official media normally suspends reporting on such activities by its leaders during periods of tension with the international community.    

North Korea will likely feature during a meeting between US President Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Guen-hye at the White House on Tuesday, where they will have a working lunch followed by a joint news conference.    

The North has also remained in the spotlight after it sentenced a Korean American who visited the country last November to 15 years hard labor for what it said were crimes against the state.    

Human rights activists in South Korea say Kenneth Bae may have been arrested for taking pictures of starving children. A US official said last week Washington was not looking for an envoy to try to secure the release of Bae, who was sentenced last Thursday.   


REUTERS