U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday that a missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be viewed as a very serious matter and a "provocative act."

"We will obviously consult on next steps but I can assure everyone that it would be taken with utmost seriousness," Rice told reporters after meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos.

Rice said a missile launch "would once again show North Korea determined to deepen its isolation, determined not to take a path that is a path of compromise and a path of peace, but rather instead to once again saber-rattle."

Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said that "there are reports they may be preparing for a long-range missile launch."

"The United States government as a whole has been consulting with allies in the region and has made clear that a North Korean missile launch would be a provocative act," Whitman said.

Source: Xinhua