PACOM warns N. Korea against miscalculation

SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Pacific Command called on North Korea Saturday to refrain from "irresponsible provocations," responding to its move to fire a long-range rocket.

"No one should doubt that U.S. Pacific Command forces, including U.S. forces in Korea, are prepared to protect the American homeland and defend our allies in South Korea and Japan," Hawaii-based command spokesman U.S. Navy Capt. Cody Chiles told Yonhap News Agency.

The North looks set to launch what the outside world views as an intercontinental ballistic missile.

It announced a plan to send a "satellite" into orbit between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25.

Some media reports said the North might have already loaded fuel into a rocket erected at its missile launch site near the border with China.

"We are aware of North Korea's announcement of their rocket launch and are closely monitoring the situation. We continue to call on North Korea to refrain from irresponsible provocations," Chiles said.

He added that the U.S. operates many platforms in the Pacific including Aegis ships, the THAAD advanced missile defense system, sea-based X-band radar, and other assets.

Earlier in the day, top military officers of both South Korea and the U.S. made a joint tour of the Joint Security Area inside the truce village of Panmunjom.

Gen. Lee Sun-jin, chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), and U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti called for full combined combat readiness, according to the JCS.
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