N. Korea completes preparations to launch long-range missile: S. Korean military

North Korea has completed preparations to launch a long-range missile and has put a mobile launcher in place, South Korea's military intelligence agency said Wednesday. The Defense Intelligence Agency gave the assessment during a parliamentary audit, noting the launch could take place before or after the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5. "It appears that preparations are nearly complete for an ICBM-class long-range missile, including a space launch vehicle," the DIA said, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Rep. Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party. "Preparations for a transporter erector launcher are complete, and it has been deployed to a certain area," the agency added, though it said no missile has been mounted yet. The DIA said the launch could involve an intercontinental ballistic missile and be aimed at testing the North's atmospheric reentry technology. Source: Yonhap News Agency