CNN has quoted a U.S. official as saying that North Korea appears to be preparing for another missile launch within this week.
 
A U.S. defense official told the cable news channel on Monday that transporter vehicles carrying ballistic missile launching equipment were seen arriving in Kusong in North Pyongan Province last Friday.
 
Kusong is frequently used for missile launch tests, including the May test of a KN-17 intermediate range ballistic missile.
 
The official said that when such equipment is detected, a launch could occur within six days. There is speculation that the North may launch a ballistic missile on July 27th to mark the 64th anniversary of the armistice ending the Korean War.
 
Meanwhile, Director Sam Greaves of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency(MDA) said in a statement that the agency will conduct another test of the THAAD missile defense system on its base in Kodiak, Alaska on Sunday or Monday.
 
The MDA conducted a THAAD interception test on July eleventh at the same venue, successfully detecting, tracking and shooting down an intermediate range ballistic missile target. 

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