Missile launch by North Korea imminent

London, May 26 (ANI): In what is being considered as a further sign of North Korea's mounting standoff with the International community, the country is preparing to launch a missile off its west coast today or tomorrow, as reported by a South Korean official.

According to a report in Sky News, the unnamed South Korean official was quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

"North Korea declared a ban for ships in the sea off its South Pyongan province between the 25th to 27th (of May)," the official told Sky News.

"It looks like it will fire a short-range missile between today and tomorrow," he added.

North Korea upset the international community by launching this missile last April.

The reports follow North Korea testing its second nuclear weapon yesterday.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama said that weapons tests "pose a grave threat to the peace and security of the world".

"North Korea's actions endanger the people of Northeast Asia; they are a blatant violation of international law, and they contradict North Korea's own prior commitments," he had said.

"Now, the United States and the international community must take action in response," he added.

Meanwhle, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the communist state's media outlet, said that America's hostile policies have not changed under the Obama administration.

KCNA said that North Korea is fully prepared for any "reckless" US attempt to attack it. (ANI)