North Koreans Blame US For Tension

Reports that North Korean missiles have been put upright on their launchers come as G8 foreign ministers discuss the crisis.

A North Korean missile launcher has moved into the firing position with rockets facing skyward, Japanese media have said.

The reports in the Kyodo news agency come as North Koreans celebrate the appointment of their leader Kim Jong-Un a year ago, and G8 foreign ministers discuss the crisis during a meeting in London.

The Japanese government has been on high alert ahead of the expected test-firing of a medium-range missile by Pyongyang, deploying Patriot missile batteries in Tokyo as a defence measure.

South Korean and US forces in the territory of Guam have announced an upgrade of their surveillance alert status.

Tokyo is “gathering a variety of information … with a sense of tension”, Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera was quoted as saying by Kyodo.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a meeting of information workers of the whole army in Pyongyang North Korea celebrates the appointment of Kim Jong-Un

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Meawnhile, Sky sources say the UK ambassador in Pyongyang has held a number of meetings with North Korean Foreign Ministry officials — signalling that Britain has a potential role to play in finding out what Pyongyang’s intentions are.

The US does not have an embassy in the North.

At their meeting in London, foreign ministers of G8 countries – United States, Britain, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada — are expected to press China to engage with Pyongyang and use its leverage to preserve the peace in that region.

North Korea is believed to have moved at least two Musudan missiles to its eastern coast.

The untested missiles have a range of 3,500km (2,180 miles), and can cover any target in South Korea and Japan, and possibly even US military bases on the Pacific island of Guam.

US soldiers in South Korea US-South Korean joint drills have angered Pyongyang