South Korea said on Wednesday there was "very high" probability that North Korea, engaged in weeks of threats of war, would launch a medium-range missile at any time as a show of strength despite diplomatic efforts to soften its position. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said South Korea had asked China and Russia to intercede with the North to ease tension that has built up steadily since the U.N. Security Council slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang after its third nuclear arms test last month. In Washington, Admiral Samuel Locklear, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific region, also said the U.S. military believed North Korea had moved an unspecified number of Musudan missiles to its east coast, according to a report of Reuters. The Musudan can reach targets at a distance of 3,500 km (2,100 miles) or more, according to South Korea, which would put Japan within range and may even threaten Guam which is home to U.S. bases. South Korea can be reached by the North's short-range Scud missiles.
