预计朝鲜可能进行导弹试射，美国和韩国军队提高了对朝鲜的警戒等级。
韩国半官方的韩联社星期三说，美韩联合部队目前处于二级警戒状态，这是在面临严重威胁时刻采用的警戒等级。
据报朝鲜已经进入进行一次中程导弹试射的最后准备阶段，这使很多邻国感到忧虑。
一些分析人士预计，朝鲜这次导弹试射将于下星期一左右进行。下星期一是朝鲜建国领导人金日成的生日。
韩国外交部长官尹炳世星期三对韩国议员们说，朝鲜进行导弹试射的可能性“非常大”，并表示这次导弹试射随时可能发生。
太平洋地区美军司令说，如果朝鲜导弹对美国或美国盟友构成直接威胁，即可加以拦截。
United States and South Korean forces have raised their alert level in anticipation of a possible North Korean missile test.
The South's semi-official Yonhap news agency Wednesday said the joint forces are now at "WatchCon 2," a level indicating a "vital threat."
North Korea is reported to be in the final stages of preparing for a mid-range missile test, placing many of its neighbors on edge.
Some analysts expect the test to occur sometime around the Monday birthday of Pyongyang's founding leader, Kim Il Sung.
South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung Se told lawmakers Wednesday the probability of a test is "very high" and said it could occur at any time.
The commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific says any North Korean missile could be intercepted if it poses a direct threat to the U.S. or its allies.
