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U.S. Anticipates Multiple N. Korean Missiles
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 19 Mar 19:00 EDT (23:00 GMT)

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military is prepared for the possibility that North Korea may launch several missiles to coincide with its scheduled rocket launch next month, a U.S. general said March 19.

When the North Korean regime last tried to test a long-range missile in 2006, at "about the same time they also launched six other missiles," said Gen. Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea.

"And we are watching very closely to see what else they will do between the fourth and the eighth April, and that we're prepared for that," Sharp told a senate hearing, referring to the scheduled North Korean rocket launch.

His comments came amid growing tension on the Korean peninsula as the Pyongyang regime presses ahead with plans to launch a communications satellite that Washington and its allies suspect is likely a test of a long-range ballistic missile.

Echoing previous comments by top military officers, Sharp and the commander for the Pacific region, Adm. Timothy Keating, said they were confident that any North Korean missile threatening U.S. targets could be shot down with anti-missile weaponry.

Asked by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., what the probability was of shooting down a ballistic missile aimed at the United States, Keating said: "We have a high probability, senator."

North Korea has resisted pressure to call off the launch and warned that any attempt to shoot it down would be regarded as an act of war.

The Japanese government said it is considering repositioning land and sea-based interceptor missiles to be able to shoot down a North Korean rocket if it threatens to hit its territory.

Japan, which has been developing a missile defense system with the United States, has warned that it is ready to shoot down any missile headed for its territory.

The U.S. military commanders said that they had enough missile defense weapons, including Patriot missiles, to defend against the potential North Korean threat but said they could use more.

Pyongyang had more than 800 missiles and the United States had 64 Patriot missiles on the Korean peninsula, while South Korea had just purchased an additional 24 Patriots, Sharp said.

"Could we use more? Yes," he said.

The general added that the military was working to ensure the Patriot missiles were positioned in the best way "to be able to defend our most critical war-fighting assets."

"But it does leave other areas uncovered, and we could - both we and the Republic of Korea - could use more, and we're working hard at that."

It remained unclear whether North Korea was planning to launch a ballistic missile or a satellite, Keating told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I don't believe the intelligence community has information that would specifically rule out either option. It is a missile body that could be used for either," the admiral said.