U.S. says North Korea missile launch could come April 4

By David Morgan and Jon Herskovitz

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's missile preparations suggest Pyongyang could launch a satellite into space as early as Saturday, an American defense official said on Thursday as the U.S. military monitored the situation.

At the United Nations, Japan's U.N. ambassador, Yukio Takasu, said his country would request an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss a possible response if North Korea launched the long-range missile in the coming days.

The United States and others have threatened North Korea with punishment if they launch the long-range missile.

"They're doing everything consistent with the launch of a space vehicle on April 4," the U.S. defense official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Pyongyang has said it will send a satellite into orbit between April 4-8 but the United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a disguised test of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is designed to carry a warhead to U.S. territory.

Earlier, CNN reported that North Korea had begun fueling a long-range rocket and could launch it by the weekend.

Takasu told reporters intensive diplomatic efforts were under way to persuade Pyongyang not to launch the rocket, which he said would represent a "threat to the security of Japan" and further increase regional and international tensions.

He said an emergency Security Council session on North Korea could take place this weekend if the missile is fired.