U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the U.S. will make preparations to shoot down the North Korean Daepodong Two ballistic missile, should Pyongyang proceed with its planned test launch.

In a news conference at the Pentagon Wednesday, Gates noted that the first time the North launched the missile it flew for a few minutes before crashing into the sea. He said that although the range of the Daepodong Two remains to be seen, the results from the 2006 test suggest it's limited.

Gates also suggested the North focus on getting positive messages across to its negotiating partners about verification and moving forward with denuclearization, hinting that the North should return to the six-way nuclear talks.