U.S., South Korea, Japan working closely to deter North Korea

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The United States, South Korea and Japan are cooperating closely on military intelligence in the wake of North Korea's recent rocket launch announcement, but Pyongyang warned the South about its "divisive" alliance with the United States.

Seoul's military stated Wednesday that it plans to deploy the Green Pine ground radar with a range of 300 miles, as well as an Airborne Warning and Control System, an airborne radar designed for long-range detection of aircraft and ships.

South Korea has mobilized two Aegis-class destroyers off the southwestern coast of the peninsula, and if North Korea launches a rocket the ships are responsible for tracking the initial trajectory of a North Korea rocket, South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh reported.

Seoul warned Pyongyang that North Korea would pay a "severe price" for a provocative test, but the North is taking a different approach to the crisis, calling on South Koreans to oppose the "U.S. nuclear strike," and the possible deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, on the peninsula, Yonhap reported.

North Korea's media outlet DPRK Today blamed the "nuclear problem" of the two Koreas on the U.S. transfer of nuclear weapons, and claimed the United States has placed "dozens of nuclear weapons" in South Korea.

South Korea's response to a rocket launch could include the shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial complex, a jointly operated factory park in North Korea, or pushing harder on the diplomatic front for stronger sanctions at the United Nations Security Council, according to local newspaper Segye Ilbo.

In Japan, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani called for the deployment of warships and Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air missiles on land, The Guardian reported.

Nakatani has instructed Japan's military to take out any North Korean missile directed at Japanese territory.