North Korea long range missile launch looked set for a delay Tuesday, as media reported that the entire rocket had been removed from the launch pad for repair.

North Korea long range missile launch looked set for a delay Tuesday, as media reported that the entire rocket had been removed from the launch pad for repair.

According to analysis of the latest satellite imagery, the entire three-stage Unha-3 carrier has been taken down and moved to a nearby assembly facility, South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a military source as saying.

"It seems that North Korea has pulled down the rocket from the launch pad to fix technical problems," the source said. Local radio and TV stations carried similar reports.

The South Korean Defense Ministry refused to confirm the reports which, if true, would signal a considerable delay in the launch schedule.

North Korea says the rocket is being used to put a satellite into orbit, but the United States and its allies claim the launch is a disguised ballistic missile test that violates UN resolutions.

North Korea had originally provided a December 10-22 window for launching the rocket, but extended that by another week on Monday when a "technical deficiency" was discovered in the first-stage engine.

Yonhap's military source said Pyongyang was still expected to go ahead with a launch after repair works are completed.