Is there a Korean News agency that might carry a "breaking" report in English?
Seoul officials widely believe the North's move is another saber-rattling campaign to raise its stake in the stalled six-party talks.
The reclusive country fired its long-range missile Taepodong-1 over Japan, which fell into the Pacific Ocean, in August 1998.
Reuters cited U.S. officials as saying that the move seems to be for a real missile test rather than just an attempt to regain U.S. and international attention.
"The North Koreans have been working on it for a while without much of a let up ... We think they are speeding up," a U.S. official was quoted as saying.
U.S. satellites reportedly spotted a missile on a flatbed truck and sighted many people possibly assembling missile components at the Musudan-ri launch facility in the northeastern town.
There have been signs since early May that North Korea was preparing to test a multiple-stage Taepodong-2 missile.
South Korea, Japan and the United States issued strong warnings.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said yesterday the North's missile test would threaten Japan's security and violate a moratorium agreement with Tokyo.
The South Korean government relayed its concern Thursday to the visiting North Korean delegation in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The delegation was attending a joint inter-Korean celebration marking the sixth anniversary of the summit between the two sides in 2000.
Lt. Gen. David P. Valcourt, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, warned yesterday a missile test by the North would make regional and global impacts beyond the Korean Peninsula.
On Wednesday, U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley warned it would be a "bad idea" if Pyongyang tested. In case of a missile launch, Washington is considering referring North Korea to the U.N. Security Council. Seoul is reluctant to agree to this referral despite its principle to cooperate with the United States on the issue.
Google Earth shows much of N Korea seemingly as an armed camp. More military than anything else from the overhead shots.