North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may fire an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Tuesday to warn President Obama's successor that Pyongyang will continue its nuclear and missile development programs regardless of international sanctions, South Korean military officials said Monday.
South Korean and U.S. military forces stationed in the region said they are on high alert for a potential Election Day launch.
"We are closely watching every move by the North Korean military at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site and other possible missile-launching sites," an official from Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters in a briefing. "The military is fully prepared to respond to any provocative acts by the North."
North Korea's Musudan missile has an estimated range of about 2,175 miles, which would allow enough distance to hit targets in the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, Yonhap News Agency reported.
North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests over the past decade. The United Nations Security Council in March approved strengthened sanctions against the isolated state following its latest nuclear test and missile launch.