DPRK seen moving mid-range missile to east coast: reports

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has moved what appears to be a mid-range Musudan missile to its east coast, The Republic of Korea (ROK)'s Yonhap news agency said on Thursday, quoting multiple government sources privy to intelligence from US and ROK authorities.

It was not clear if the missile was mounted with a warhead or whether the DPRK was planning to fire it or was just putting it on display as a show of force, one ROK government source was quoted as saying.

"ROK and US intelligence authorities have obtained indications the North has moved an object that appears to be a mid-range missile to the east coast," the source said.

The Musudan missile is believed to have a range of 3,000 km (1,875 miles) or more, which would put all of the ROK and Japan in range and possibly also the US territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. The DPRK is not believed to have tested these mid-range missiles, according to most independent experts

ROK's defence ministry declined to comment.

The DPRK has threatened a nuclear strike on the United States and missile attacks on its Pacific bases, including in Guam. Those threats followed new UN sanctions imposed on the DPRK after it carried out its third nuclear test in February.

The missile was moved to the coast by train. The DPRK has a missile launch site on the northeastern coast, which it has used to unsuccessfully test-fire long-range rockets in the past.

The Yonhap report did not say if the missile had been moved to the missile site.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper issued a similar report on Thursday, saying the DPRK had moved what appeared to be a long-range missile to its east coast.