South Korean officials say that the North Korean government is assembling a long-range missile for a test fire which could come as soon as the end of the month. A successful test is predicted to fly over Japan, and the missile might have the range to hit Alaska.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not reference the reports explicitly, but cautioned North Korea to avoid “any provocative actions” if it hopes to improve relations with the US and join the international community.

Tensions between North and South Korea have been rising in recent weeks, with top North Korean officials quoted as saying the two were on the brink of war, and there have been predictions of a naval clash in the Yellow Sea on numerous occasions.

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