(2nd LD) N. Korea moves up planned rocket launch to between Feb. 7-14

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SEOUL/TOKYO, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea informed a U.N. maritime agency Saturday that it will move up its plan to launch a long-range rocket to between Feb. 7 and 14, the Seoul government said.

Earlier, Pyongyang informed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other United Nations agencies of its plan that the launch would take place between Feb. 8 and 25.

"North Korea informed the IMO today that it will amend the date of its planned missile launch to between Feb. 7 and 14," said a South Korean government official on the condition of anonymity.

The Seoul government said it will stay on full alert for the possible launch on Sunday, noting that the country's military maintains an immediate response posture.

"(The military) stays on readiness posture to respond whenever North Korea fires a missile," said a defense ministry official on the condition of the anonymity.

Experts earlier expected that the North would likely launch the rocket around Feb. 16, the birthday of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who died due to heart failure in late 2011

"Weather in the North Korea Dongchang-ri launch site area is expected to be good between Feb. 7 and Feb. 10," said the official, forecasting the launch could take place as early as on Sunday.

Pyongyang notified the IMO of its change of launch window Saturday morning but did not send similar notices to other U.N agencies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Telecommunication Union,

Earlier in the day, the Japanese government confirmed Pyongyang's plan to move forward the launch period, according to Japan's Kyodo News

"We are in the process of confirming since there is so much information," Gen Nakatani, Japan's defense minister, was quoted by Kyodo News as saying.
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