North Korea Threatens US Planes

North Korea today threatened to shoot down US planes it accuses of spying on its soon-to-be-launched rocket, the New York Times reports. Meanwhile, the rocket's fueling process has begun, which means it could be ready to go sometime this weekend, CNN notes. The rocket likely will carry a harmless enough satellite, but the launch itself will allow the North to test its ballistic missile capability.

“If the brigandish US imperialists dare to infiltrate spy planes into our airspace to interfere with our peaceful satellite launch preparations, our revolutionary armed forces will mercilessly shoot them down,” said the North’s Korea Central Radio. (More North Korea stories.)