WASHINGTON, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Officials of the United States, South Korea and Japan have agreed to "maintain close coordination" to deal with the situation when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has missile test.

    U.S. special representative on the DPRK Stephen Bosworth and Sung Kim, director of the office of Korean affairs at the State Department, held separate meetings on Friday with their counterparts Wi Sung-lac of South Korea and Akitaka Saiki of Japan, State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said.

    "The discussions were constructive and substantive. The parties discussed how to maintain close coordination in the event of needing to respond to a North Korean missile test and how to improve the six-party process to move forward.

    "Ambassador Kim also hosted an informal trilateral meeting with his two counterparts that day," Duguid said told a news briefing.

    No further details on the talks were available.

    The DPRK has informed the international community of its plan to launch a satellite between April 4 and 8, and some Western countries continue to suspect the operation is a cover for the test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile.

DPRK blasts S. Korea's intention to participate in PSI

    PYONGYANG, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) blasted the intention of the South Korea to participate in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) on Monday, warning "resolute countermeasure" against it.

    "We solemnly declare that should the Lee group participate in the 'PSI,' oblivious of this reality, the DPRK will consider this as a declaration of a war and promptly take a resolute countermeasure against it," the official KCNA news cited a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea as saying.  Full story

Defense chief: U.S. not to shoot down missile launched by DPRK

    WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States would not shoot down a missile that Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was expected to launch soon, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in an interview to be aired on Sunday.

    Gates told "Fox News Sunday" that the launch was likely to happen soon but the U.S. military was not prepared to "do anything about it." Full story

DPRK says attempt to take satellite issue before UN contemptible

    PYONGYANG, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The attempt of the United States, Japan, and South Korea to bring the planned satellite launch of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) before the United Nations was a "contemptible conspiracy" and "ridiculous farce," said a commentary carried by the official Rodong Sinmun daily on Sunday.

    Launching a satellite for peaceful purpose was the DPRK's legitimate right, said the commentary, adding that the launch will contribute to the prosperity of the country as well as the progress of human beings. Full story

Japan's ASDF starts moving missile units northeastward

Japanese Self-Defence Force's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile unit is deployed at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo March 29, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) on Sunday start moving Patriot guided-missile units from central Japan to locations in northeastern areas to brace for the planned rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kyodo News reported. Full story

S Korea sends nuclear envoy to Washington on DPRK rocket launch

    SEOUL, March 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy left for Washington Friday to discuss with his counterparts of the United States and Japan on the DPRK's impending rocket launch, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported. Full story