South Korea launches diplomatic offensive to stop North's missile test

TOKYO -- South Korea has embarked on a campaign to stop North Korea from launching its Taepo Dong II missile next month.

In an unusual move for the demure South Korea, Seoul has sent three security- related ministers for talks in the United States, Japan and China in an effort to halt the North Korean launch. Unification Minister Lim Dong-won, responsible for policy toward Pyonyang, will begin on Monday a weeklong visit to the United States.

Lim will meet with former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry, President Clinton's envoy regarding North Korea. An unreleased report by Perry recommends changes in U.S. policy toward Pyongyang.

Defense Minister Cho Sung-tae will be meanwhile holding talks in Beijing. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hong Soon-young leaves Seoul for a three-day visit to Japan.

North Korea has announced this month that it would test a new long-range missile, saying it would that of a satellite launch. But a senior North Korean officials told CNN that his country could be persuaded to forgo plans for the launch.

Meanwhile, Pentagon officials refused to discuss newspaper reports on Thursday that China has signed a contract to upgrade an anti-ship FL-10 missile for Iran. The United States does not ban the sale or upgrade of that Chinese missile.

In an unrelated development, Russia has launched a military satellite from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwest Russia. The Interfax news agency said the Cosmos-2365 satellite lifted off on Wednesday night and was put into orbit by a Soyuz-U rocket. The Strategic Rocket Forces, the source of the news, did not provide more details.