US military forces are "fully prepared" to react in the event of a North Korea missile launch towards the state of Hawaii, President Barack Obama has said in a CBS News interview.

"I do want to give assurances to the American people that the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted in terms of what might happen," Obama said adding there was "a unity in the international community that we haven't seen in quite some time" on the issue of North Korea weapon tests.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the military to take measures against a possible missile launch by North Korea in the direction of Hawaii.

Northeast Asia has seen rising tension since the atomic test and the government in Pyongyang has threatened war against any country that intercepts ships suspected of carrying nuclear weapons or missile parts to or from North Korea. A UN Security Council resolution authorizes searches of North Korean vessels.

The US Navy has been tracking a North Korean ship Kang Nam I because the US suspects the ship may be carrying illegal weapons technology, according to the South Korea TV YTN. The ship might be headed to Myanmar, according to the reports.