 Updated 2:00 p.m. Eastern 
 
 WASHINGTON U.S. defenses could intercept a ballistic missile launched by North Korea, the top U.S. military commander in the Pacific said Tuesday, as the relationship between the West and the communist government hit its lowest ebb since the end of the Korean War. 04:21 
 
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 Since December, North Korea has put a satellite in orbit atop a long-range rocket; conducted a nuclear bomb test, its third since 2006; and claimed to be prepared for pre-emptive nuclear attacks on the United States, though most analysts believe it does not yet have that capability. Intelligence suggests that North Korea may be planning "multiple missile launches" in the coming days beyond two Musudan mobile missiles it has placed along its east coast, Pentagon officials told CNN. The missile is expected to be a medium-range Musudan missile with a range of 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles) capable of flying over Japan, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told lawmakers in Seoul. One just shouldn't scare anyone with military maneuvers and there's a chance things might calm down," he said. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said at a parliamentary hearing Wednesday that "according to intelligence obtained by our side and the U.S., the possibility of a missile launch by North Korea is very high," the semiofficial South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington on Tuesday that North Korea's persistent nuclear and missile programs and threats have created "an environment marked by the potential for miscalculation." The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that various sporting events were happening or scheduled to take place to mark the 101st anniversary next week of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea and the grandfather of Kim Jong Un. Still, North Korea's earlier warning that it won't be able to guarantee the safety of foreign diplomats after April 10 has raised fears that it will conduct a missile or nuclear test on Wednesday, resulting in U.S. retaliation. The prospect of a North Korean missile launch is "considerably high," South Korea's foreign minister told lawmakers Wednesday as Pyongyang prepared to mark the April 15 birthday of its founder, historically a time when it seeks to draw the world's attention with dramatic displays of military power. "We have demonstrated to the people of the region, demonstrated to the leadership of North Korea, our ability and willingness to defend our nation, our people, our allies and our forward deployed forces," Locklear said, citing other steps the U.S. military has taken in recent weeks.
– North Korea threatening imminent thermonuclear war? Must be Wednesday. "According to intelligence obtained by our side and the US, the possibility of a missile launch by North Korea is very high," South Korea's foreign minister said today, while CNN reports that a US official says Pyongyang could in fact be planning multiple strikes. South Korea is taking the threats seriously, increasing surveillance and engaging in diplomacy efforts via China and Russia. Japan has already responded by deploying missile interceptors, and the region's US commander has said it is also capable of thwarting a launch, reports CBS. "I believe we have the ability to defend the homeland, Guam, Hawaii, and defend our allies," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Musudan missiles installed by Pyongyang are potentially within range of US military bases in Japan and Guam. But despite the very real probability that North Korea will launch a missile soon, everyday life goes on in Seoul, where citizens have long adjusted to its threats, reports Reuters. Likewise, signs of war are absent from the streets of Pyongyang, where soldiers continue to work on urban renewal projects and there hasn't been an air raid drill in months, the AP reports.