Washington - North Korea's threats Thursday against South Korean airlines that fly into its airspace are "distinctly unhelpful," the US State Department said.

The North Korean government issued a statement saying it cannot guarantee the safety of South Korean civilian airlines flying near or in its airspace over the Sea of Japan while the United States and South Korea conduct joint military exercises.

"They are distinctly unhelpful," State Department acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said.

Washington  - North Korea's threats Thursday against South Korean airlines that fly into its airspace are "distinctly unhelpful," the US State Department said.

The North Korean government issued a statement saying it cannot guarantee the safety of South Korean civilian airlines flying near or in its airspace over the Sea of Japan while the United States and South Korea conduct joint military exercises.

"They are distinctly unhelpful," State Department acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said.

Seoul  - North Korea on T

Washington, Feb. 27 : The Pentagon has said that it is prepared to shoot down a North Korean missile or rocket if it receives such orders from US President Barack Obama.

"If a missile leaves the launch pad we''ll be prepared to respond upon direction of the president," Fox News quoted the head of the U. S. Pacific Command, Admiral Timothy Keating as telling ABC News.

North Korea announced earlier this week that it was preparing to shoot a communication satellite into orbit as part of it space program.

Seoul  - North Korea has begun to test radar and other equipment in preparation for launching what it claims to be a satellite, South Korean media reports said Friday.

Increased activity was reported from the Musudan-ri missile launch site in the north-east of the communist state as North Korea moves closer to what South Korea claims is an attempt to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Seoul  - North Korea said Tuesday that it was preparing to launch a satellite on a domestically produced rocket after weeks of intelligence reports that said it was instead readying a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

A date for the launch was not given in the statement by the Korea Space Technology Committee published by the official Korean Central News Agency.