[Al Arabiya Latest] U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday demanded North Korea halt its "provocative" impending missile launch, in a strongly worded public challenge after North Korea's military said it would attack "major targets" in Japan if Tokyo attempts to shoot down a satellite it intends to launch as soon as this weekend.At a joint news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, ahead of the 60th anniversary of the NATO summit, Obama said: "We have made very clear to the North Koreans that their missile launch is provocative."
The presidents comments came after Korean People's Army (KPA) issued a statement saying: "If Japan recklessly 'intercepts' the DPRK's (North's) satellite for peaceful purposes, the KPA will mercilessly deal deadly blows not only at the already deployed intercepting means but at major targets."