North Korea was "seen ready" to launch missiles but there are no signs of a full-scale war, South Korea's defence chief said today.
"(The military) is trailing (North Korea's possible missile launch) as the launch is seen ready," Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin told lawmakers at a parliamentary defence committee.
North Korea's "military parade is estimated" to be held around April 15, reports Xinhua.
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His comments came amid rising expectations from North Korea to launch missiles around April 15 when Pyongyang celebrates the birthday of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founder and the late grandfather of the current leader Kim Jung-un.
Pyongyang was believed to have moved intermediate-range missiles, believed to be Musudan, to its east coast. Other missiles, including Scud and Nodong, were also believed to be mounted on mobile launchers known as the transporter-erector-launcher (TEL).
The Musudan is estimated to have a range of about 3,500 km and can reach the US military base in Guam. The Scud is estimated to have a range of between 300 and 500 km, with the range for Nodong estimated at 1,300-1,500 km.
Kim said there have been no signs of North Korea waging a full-scale war, but he noted that the military is preparing for the local provocation that could happen "at any time".
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