"North Korea is attempting to demonstrate an ICBM capability through a space launch that's what they are up to," Blair told journalists in his first press conference.

Pyongyang is said to have put a rocket onto a launch pad after saying it planned to put a communications satellite into space between April 4 and 8.

The rocket is believed to be a long-range Taepodong-2 missile theoretically capable of reaching Alaska.

The United States, South Korea and Japan say the launch is a pretext for a long-range missile test and say they would refer it to the UN Security Council.