North Korea says rocket launch as early as Sunday

London: North Korea may test a long-range missile by the time of the US Super Bowl on Sunday, according to a media report on Saturday.

Citing US government sources, the Britain's mirror.co.uk reported that North Korea may fire an explosive device as early as Sunday.

The Super Bowl between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos football teams is scheduled to start at 11.30pm GMT.

Satellite images reportedly show preparations being made to fire the powerful weapon.

About a fortnight ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had claimed that he had the ability to destroy the United States in one fell swoop.

He said that his country has the ability to launch a nuclear warhead from a submarine following the advancements in its ballistic missile technology.

In a statement, Pyongyang claimed that its "scientists and technicians ... are in high spirit to detonate H-bombs capable of wiping out the whole territory of the US all at once."

Pyongyang also said the nuclear tests were carried out "neither to threaten anyone nor to provoke someone for a certain purpose".

"It was a process indispensable for carrying out the economic construction and the building of nuclear force to cope with the US ever-more undisguised hostile policy towards North Korea," the statement released by the state-controlled North Korean KCNA news agency said.

Kim Jong-un became North Korea's leader after the death of his father Kim Jong-il on December 17, 2011.