(LEAD) N. Korea appears readying to fire missiles on west coast: source

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from 3rd para)
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be preparing to fire short-range
missiles on its west coast, a day after it tested a nuclear device and missiles
in the east, a South Korean source said Tuesday.

The country has banned ships from the waters off its west coast and could launch
what appears to be "KN-01" anti-ship cruise missiles either Tuesday or Wednesday,
the source said.
"The ban on sailing is in effect from May 25 to 27," the source said. "It's
likely that North Korea will fire short-range missiles either today or tomorrow."
On Monday, North Korea fired three short-range missiles on its east coast hours
after it announced it "successfully" conducted its second atomic test to boost
the might of its nuclear weapons.
North Korea performed its first nuclear test in October 2006.
KN-01 missiles, upgraded from Silkworms, have an estimated range of up to 160
kilometers.
The western waters remain a flashpoint for the two Koreas that are technically at
war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.
Blaming their frayed ties on President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul, North Korea has
warned of a conflict along its border with South Korea where naval clashes turned
deadly twice over the past decade.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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