North Korea seems to have taken “initial steps” to deploy mobile long-range missiles, the head of the U.S. intelligence community said Tuesday, as the unpredictable communist nation churns out military threats.

SOURCE:  Yonhap News Agency 

Citizens Predict War Status Declaration

A source from northerly Hoeryeong in North Hamkyung Province told Daily NK today, “Before the [ROK-U.S. ‘Key Resolve-Foal Eagle’] military exercises started on the 11th, orders were handed down telling us to raise the readiness posture one step from ‘combat mobilization.’” Therefore, he added, “There will be high level drills for a week, including not just underground training but also some combined drills involving simulated enemy action.”

But most importantly, the source said he had heard from military cadres that “sometime today or tomorrow there will be an important announcement.” It is unclear when the announcement will occur or what it is set to reveal, but the source predicted that a quasi-state of war could be declared.

“There have been orders to distribute all reserve supplies to the people. The emergency supplies stored in the No. 2 Depot have been sent out to public distribution locations,” he said. “They are just waiting for the order to distribute it.”

SOURCE: Daily NK News

N. Korea tested long-range missile engine before nuke blast: sources

It was one day before the communist country defied international warnings by detonating what it calls a miniaturized atomic device, drawing a chorus of worldwide condemnations and prompting the United Nations Security Council to start work on “appropriate measures” against the North’s latest provocation. The North also conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

“It appears that North Korea conducted the engine test aimed at extending the range of the KN-08 missile to over 5,000 kilometers,” said a source. He declined to be identified.

“If the North decides the test successful, it is expected to operationally deploy the new long-range rocket,” he added.

SOURCE: YONHAPNEWS

Intel chief warns ‘belligerent’ North Korea threats could preview action against South

SOURCE: FOX News

Feb 16th- Pentagon conducting urgent assessment of North Korean mobile ICBM threat

The Joint Staff assessment was ordered following recent intelligence reports indicating development work on the North Korean KN-08 mobile ICBM is nearing completion. Several KN-08s were spotted moving around North Korea in January.

SOURCE: HOT AIR

All Students Volunteer to Join or Rejoin Army

Inspired by the statement of a spokesman for the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army, students across the DPRK volunteer to join or rejoin the KPA, considering the sanctions invented by the U.S. and its followers to be a declaration of war.

According to data available, hundreds of thousands of students at universities and colleges across the country have volunteered to join or rejoin the KPA since the publication of the statement.

Among them are scores of thousands of students at Kim Il Sung University, Kim Cheak University of Technology and Pyongyang University of Architecture.

SOURCE: RODONG Rep

China lost patience with North Korea after its third nuclear test in February and supported tougher sanctions against its ally, sources in Beijing told the JoongAng Ilbo.

And Beijing is cracking down on North Korean cargo shipments, delaying construction of an electricity transmission tower and cutting back on imports of seafood in the wake of the test.

SOURCE: Korea Joongang Daily

ALTERNATE INSIGHT 

North Korea's longest range missile is the Taepodong-2. It is NOT a mobile based missile. It has been test-launched only once, and failed. Even if working, it's maximum range will not allow it to reach anywhere in the US. It would fall short even trying to reach Alaska. The US is claiming that the North Koreans could strap on some auxiliary boosters to increase the range and reach the US, but missiles must be designed and built to take the stress of the added boosters or they will tear the missile apart. All in all, this seems like more "we must get them before they get us" war propaganda.

To corroborate this, here is what is stated on the website of Federation Of American Scientists:

The one launch attempt of the Taepodong-2 ended after 40 seconds of flight when the missile disintegrated.  There is, therefore, much greater uncertainty about what its performance could be or even precisely what the missile is.

[Source: Federation Of American Scientists]

And, this is what 38North (38 North is an American project based in Washington, DC and devoted to analysis of North Korea.) states:

Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates provided the latest estimated range and timeline of the North Korean ICBM, the TaepoDong-2. According to Gates, the DPRK is within five years of being able to strike the continental United States, combined with its expanding nuclear program...

[Source: 38North]

Now, you decide!