US warns N Korea of quick response

The US defence secretary has warned North Korea that the United States would be quick to respond if moves by the communist government threaten the US or its Asian allies."We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in Asia - or on us," Robert Gates told defence and security officials from Asia and the Pacific Rim on Saturday.As he made the remarks in Singapore, media reports in South Korea suggested that the North was preparing to carry out a long-range missile test in the next two weeks."A train carrying a long-range missile has been spotted at the weapons research centre near Pyongyang," an unidentified intelligence source was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency."It is highly likely that the North may fire and South Korean and US intelligence authorities are watching closely," the source told Yonhap.Two US defence officials in Washington told the AFP news agency on Friday that US satellite photos had shown vehicle activity at two sites in North Korea, indicating that a long-range missile test could follow six recent short-range tests.