By Jaime Ortega.
The North Korean threats appear to be serious. The White House believes Pyongyang may launch one of its ballistic missiles at any time since the most recent intelligence reports reveal that the regime is likely to complete the preparations for the final launch soon, according to CNN.
The Obama Administration believes the launch could occur at any moment. As explained by the White House spokesman, Jay Carney, the U.S. government continues to take steps in response to the “war rhetoric” and North Korean actions.
Carney specified that they will continue to relocate missiles around the region as reconnaissance training for both the defense of U.S. and its allies, to assure stability.
“The North Korean statement on advising foreigners to evacuate Seoul is part of useless rhetoric that only serves to heighten tensions. Such rhetoric only furthers to isolate North Korea from the international community,” he said .
Japan has said it is “on high alert” to incase it needs to intercept a missile from the North Korean communist regime. “We are on alert and have deployed our military units, we must be ready and vigilant,” said Shinzo Aba, the Japanese Defense Minister in a press conference.
Just this Tuesday, the commander Samuel Locklear, the highest commander of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, said that North Korea’s threats are “clear” and point in a “direct conflict to U.S. national security and to peace and regional stability,”
Locklear, who appeared Tuesday at a hearing of the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. Senate, warned that movements executed in recent weeks by North Korea “underscore the need for effective missile defense”, but was satisfied with the preparation against a possible U.S. attack.
Level ‘very dangerous’
For its part, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has warned that the level of tension on the Korean peninsula is “very dangerous” and a small incident could trigger “an uncontrollable situation.” Ban Ki-moon made the remarks after meeting with the Pope at the Vatican.
“The current level of tension is very dangerous. A small incident, caused by a stone or a wrong judgment can unleash an uncontrollable situation,” said the UN secretary general, who was “very concerned” about the developments in the area. Therefore, Ban urged North Korea to “halt the provocations”.
The secretary general, who was born in South Korea, was in favor of reopening the Kaesong industrial complex, whose activities were suspended with the withdrawal of the 54,000 North Korean workers in the joint force between North and South.
Kaesong Ban described as “greater cooperation project to success” between the two Koreas.
Major defense
United States has strengthened its defense in the Pacific by sending destroyers and missile systems to the increasing threats deliver from North Korea and the rising tensions with China in recent weeks.
U.S. and South Korea believe that North Korea plans to launch a missile around April 15, the birthday of the founder of the North Korean state, Kim Il-sung.
