N Korea offers US missile talks

The number two diplomat at North Korea's UN mission was quoted saying the secretive state was open to talks with Washington, where there were reports that the US missile defence shield had been activated in case of a launch.

"The United States says it is concerned about our missile test launch," Han Song-Ryol told South Korea's Yonhap news agency. "Our position is, 'Okay then, let's talk about it.'"

But he underlined the North's position that it had every right to develop, deploy and test-fire missiles.

"It is not right for others to tell us what to do about our sovereign rights," said Han, whose country last year announced it had developed an atomic bomb.

North Korea test-fired a missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean in 1998, and reports that it was preparing another test have drawn warnings of a tough response from Japan and the United States.

Former South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung, who made engagement with the estranged North a cornerstone of his policy while in office, cancelled a trip to Pyongyang next week.

"The trip is technically impossible right now because of the situation over the missile," said Jeong Se-Hyun, a former unification minister who was to accompany Kim.

A series of reports have said North Korea is preparing to test-fire a Taepodong-2 missile with a range of up to 6,700 kilometres (4,200 miles), far enough to hit targets in Alaska and possibly Hawaii.

Indications that the North had been fuelling a missile -- a process that experts say is dangerous and difficult to reverse -- have caused concern.

Japan and South Korea agreed their nations would have to cooperate to prevent a missile launch, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

"If the missile were to be launched, it would threaten the regional security. It is important that countries concerned would cooperate in urging North Korea to use its restraint," the ministry said.

Separately, South Korea warned it could scrap crucial food aid to its impoverished neighbour if the launch went ahead.