IF NORTH KOREA FOLLOWS THROUGH ON REPORTED PLANS TO TEST A LONG RANGE MISSILE IT WOULD BE A "PROVOCATIVE ACT" THAT WOULD ONLY FURTHER ISOLATE THE STALINIST COUNTRY FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD, THE US STATE DEPARTMENT SAID FRIDAY ACCORDING TO DPA. NORTH KOREA HAS REPORTEDLY STARTED PREPARING FOR THE TEST OF A TAEPODONG-2 MISSILE THAT COULD BE FIRED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, ALSO PROVOKING OBJECTIONS FROM SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN. US STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SEAN MCCORMACK SAID US OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN CONSULTING WITH COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ABOUT THE POSSIBLE TEST AND THE US GOVERNMENT WILL BE CLOSELY TRACKING NORTH KOREAN ACTIVITIES. "OUR DIPLOMACY AND THAT OF OUR ALLIES HAS MADE CLEAR TO NORTH KOREA THAT A MISSILE LAUNCH WOULD BE A PROVOCATIVE ACT THAT IS NOT IN THEIR INTERESTS AND WILL FURTHER ISOLATE THEM FROM THE WORLD," HE SAID. MCCORMACK SAID THE TEST WOULD VIOLATE A MORATORIUM PYONGYANG AGREED TO IN 1999 AND AGAIN IN 2002.
