The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says the U.S. is closely watching North Korea amid signs that Pyongyang plans to test a long-range missile.

Admiral Mike Mullen told CNN and Fox News Sunday that he hopes the North would not pursue any "provocative" actions.

He said the U.S. has enhanced its monitoring of North Korea, noting that the communist state has launched missiles before.

Mullen said neither he nor Defense Secretary Robert Gates has made a recommendation to President Barack Obama about what actions to take in the event the North decides to launch a missile.

He added that any recommendations and policy decisions made to President Obama will come based on timing and the actions taken by the North.

Pyongyang said last week that it was preparing to shoot a communication satellite into orbit as part of it space development program. The U.S. and others believe the launch may be a cover for a missile test.

Mullen’s remarks come just a few days after Admiral Timothy Keating of the U.S. Pacific Command said that the military is prepared to shoot down any North Korean ballistic missile by direction of the president.