North Korea missile launch draws White House ire

SEOUL, June 7 (Reuters) North Korea fired up to two short-range missiles off its west coast today, Yonhap news agency quoted government officials as saying, the second launch in as many weeks, drawing quick criticism from Washington.

''What I have been advised is that it (was) a cruise missile test,'' White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters.

The launch occurred a day after US President George W Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed at a bilateral summit that there were limits to their patience with Pyongyang's failure to honour a nuclear disarmament agreement.

A South Korean Defence Ministry official confirmed the reclusive state had fired at least one missile, but could not specify the exact number or type.

White House National Security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said North Korea's missile test activity was ''not constructive'' and Pyongyang should focus on dismantling its nuclear programme.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged his fellow G8 leaders to keep up the pressure on North Korea over its nuclear programme, Japanese officials said on Thursday.

''We cannot allow the development of nuclear weapons by North Korea,'' the official quoted Abe as saying at the opening of a working lunch in Heiligendamm, Germany. Several other leaders expressed agreement, the officials said.

''International society should send a clear message to North Korea,'' he added.

NUCLEAR PROGRAMMES Pyongyang has refused to implement a Feb 13 deal with South Korea, the United States, Russia, China and Japan under which it agreed to begin shutting down its nuclear programmes in return for energy aid.

''The United States and our allies believe that North Korea should refrain from testing missiles,'' the White House's Johndroe said in a statement to reporters on the sidelines of a Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, Germany.

A South Korean defence ministry official told Reuters the launch appeared to be part of regular military exercises.

In late May, the North fired a short-range surface-to-ship missile off its east coast. Both South Korean and US officials dismissed the launch as part of regular military drills.

Asked about the most recent apparent launch, a Japanese Defence Ministry official in Tokyo told Reuters: ''I am aware of the report but we have not been able to confirm it. Even if it is true, I don't think it poses a grave threat to the security of neighbouring countries including Japan.'' Yonhap quoted a South Korean government official as saying: ''We suspect the number of missiles fired today was one or two.

We are working to distinguish the types of missiles.'' North Korea fired a barrage of long and short range missiles last year, triggering United Nations sanctions. It drew more punitive measures with its first nuclear test in October.

Military experts have voiced concern about the North's firing of long range missiles, which could carry a nuclear warhead to Alaska or possibly the continental United States.

REUTERS SYU RK2230