Kim visited the birthplace in Hoeryong town of his mother Kim Jong-Suk, who died in 1949 when he was seven, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Wednesday.

The town is in North Hamkyong province, where the coastal missile launch site at Musudan-ri is located. Kim's visit to her birthplace and other venues was the latest in a series in the province to be reported in recent days.

The leader also visited a food processing and cigarette factory, the local branch of the central bank and a middle school, KCNA said in its report.

North Korea announced Tuesday it was preparing to launch an "experimental communications satellite" from its Musudan-ri site.

US and South Korean officials say any such exercise -- whether to launch a satellite or to test a missile -- would violate UN resolutions adopted after the communist state's last missile tests in 2006.

Intelligence reports say the North is readying its longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2, which could theoretically reach Alaska. The North did not say when the launch would take place.

Seoul's Unification Ministry could not say whether Kim's extensive trip was related to the launch or just part of his regular public activities.

earlier related report
Obama, Aso seek restraint from NKorea: official
US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed Tuesday that North Korea should not do anything provocative, amid signs it is preparing a missile launch, an official said.

Aso, who was the first foreign leader to visit the Obama White House, said the two leaders shared concerns over moves by Pyongyang, although he did not elaborate on their exchange.

"Regarding the missile issue, we discussed how the initial reactions are important. After a missile is launched, we discussed that what is important is how other, foreign nations would act," Aso told reporters after the summit.

A senior Japanese official who attended the White House talks said the two leaders did not want North Korea to act provocatively.

Pyongyang said Tuesday it was readying to launch a satellite, a move that the United States and its allies believe could actually be a long-range missile test.

"In light of North Korea's announcement that it was preparing to launch a satellite on a rocket, the two leaders agreed that North Korea should not take actions that may increase tension," the Japanese official said.

A White House statement also said the leaders agreed to work together "to verifiably eliminate North Korea's nuclear program and to deal with the problem of North Korea's missiles."

The State Department repeated its warnings to Pyongyang against any missile launch, recalling such an act was banned under UN resolutions.

"Our view is that the North needs to spend its time working on and focusing on denuclearization," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

"As you know, UN Security Council Resolution 1718 prohibits the North from engaging in ballistic missile-related activities. And whether it's a space-launch vehicle or a missile, some of the building blocks for developing a space-launch vehicle and for producing long-range missiles are similar," he said.

He added: "Intimidation and threats are not helpful to try to bring about regional stability. So the North needs to desist from that type of behavior."

Obama's invitation to Aso was seen as a move to reassure Japan, which is sensitive about its status as the key US ally in Asia.

Japan was upset last year when then US president George W. Bush removed North Korea from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism as part of a denuclearization deal.

Japan has been pressing North Korea to reveal more about the kidnappings of Japanese nationals by Pyongyang's agents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Aso said Obama was already familiar with Japan's concerns.

"On that topic, he led our exchange. He had profound knowledge of the issue," Aso told reporters.

"I was left with an impression that he is interested in Asia and closely studies Asia and Japan," Aso said.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News