US criticized the threat, which came one day after American forces had carried out an unusual practice bombing exercise with advanced aircraft across South Korea. It was seen as part of a dangerously accelerating situation by both China and Russia. China's foreign ministry reiterated its calls for restraint. Russia was more explicit , with its foreign minister, Sergey V Lavrov, telling reporters in Moscow that he was increasingly concerned. "The situation could simply get out of control, it is slipping towards the spiral of a vicious cycle," AP quoted Lavrov as saying. Kim's order, which North Korea said was given during an emergency meeting early on Friday, was similar to the one issued on Tuesday when the North's top military command told all its missile and artillery units to be on the "highest alert" and ready to strike the US and South Korea in retaliation against their joint military exercises. But by attributing such an order to its top leader, North Korea tried to add weight to its threat. "We believe they are taking follow-up steps," said Kim Min-seok , spokesman of the South Korean defence ministry, referring to increased activities of the North Korean military units. "South Korean and American intelligence authorities are closely watching whether North Korea is preparing its short, medium, and longrange missiles, including its Scud, Rodong and Musudan." He did not elaborate. But government officials and South Korean media said that there had been a surge in vehicle and troop movements at North Korean missile units in recent days. The national news agency Yonhap quoted a military source as saying that North Korean vehicles had been moving to Tongchang-ri near the North's western border with China, where its Unha-3 rocket blasted off in December. North might be preparing for an engine test ahead of a long-range rocket test, the source said. Scud and Rodong are the North's mainstay short- and mediumrange missiles.
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