Thunderbolt of Fire

On the other side of the world, "South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted unidentified officials as saying the North had moved a squadron of MiG-23 fighter jets to a base near the launch site in what appeared to be a response to Japan's deployment" (FNC). The North has also issued "warnings against any efforts to intercept the rocket, take the issue to the Security Council or even monitor the launch. It says its armed forces are at a high level of combat-readiness" (FNC). The general staff of North Korea's military has said, "'If Japan imprudently carries out an act of intercepting our peaceful satellite, our people's army will hand a thunderbolt of fire to not only interceptor means already deployed, but also key targets'" (FNC). "The Koeran-language version of the [Korean Central News Agency] report said: 'The United States should immediately withdraw armed forces deployed if it does not want to receive damage'" (FNC).