WASHINGTON -- North Korea appears to be preparing for another test launch of a ballistic missile of intercontinental or intermediate range in the next two weeks, CNN reported Wednesday.

It quoted two US administration officials as saying that the indications appear in the latest intelligence. Satellite imagery also suggests that the communist nation could be testing components and missile control facilities in the run-up to a launch, officials said, according to CNN.

North Korea's latest missile launch came on July 4 and marked its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching the mainland US.

On Tuesday, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul Selva said it did not demonstrate capacity to strike the US "with any degree of accuracy or reasonable confidence of success."


Still, the missile had the range to reach the US and the deployment of the North's missile systems could be difficult to monitor because the country is "very good" at hiding them, he told a Senate hearing.

Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross declined to comment on the report, saying he is unsure of its origin.

"I would not stay up tonight," he said by phone to Yonhap. (Yonhap)