Russia Voices Alarm to N. Korea

Russia summoned North Korea’s ambassador Thursday to express alarm that the regime in Pyongyang might launch a long-range missile, and the isolated nation’s other major ally, China, issued its strongest statement of concern to date over the standoff.

South Korea played down the growing tensions, even as the U.S. national security advisor said launch preparations were “very far along.”

“It is our judgment that a launch is not imminent,” Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung said.

In an unusual step, Russia’s Foreign Ministry called in North Korean Ambassador Pak Ui Chun to say it was alarmed by reports of the planned launch and warn him of Moscow’s opposition to any steps that would destabilize the region.

“In particular, the undesirability was stressed of any actions that could negatively affect regional stability and complicate the search for a settlement to the Korean peninsula’s nuclear problem,” a statement by the ministry said.

At a briefing in Beijing, Jiang Yu, a Chinese Foreign Ministry official, said: “We are very concerned about the current situation.... We hope all parties can do more in the interest of regional peace and stability.”

Concern about a possible North Korean launch has grown since activity was reported at the country’s launch site on its east coast, where U.S. officials say a Taepodong 2 missile -- believed capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam and perhaps Alaska or Hawaii -- is possibly being fueled.

Japan and the United States have issued strong statements of concern and have sent ships and planes to monitor the situation.