North Korea has shut down ports on its western coast and could be readying to test-fire missiles, South Korea's Yonhap agency said on Tuesday, citing a military official.

The area is near a disputed Yellow Sea border with South Korea, the scene of a naval clash last November between the countries.

The North has banned ships from entering its Yellow Sea zone, and we are watching to see if there are preparations for short-range missile launches, an unidentified South Korean military official was quoted by the agency as saying.

The report comes as Pyongyang has signaled its readiness to resume international nuclear disarmament talks.

Six-party talks on the North's nuclear program, involving Russia, Japan, China, the United States and South Korea, came to a halt last April when Pyongyang pulled out of the negotiations in protest against the UN' condemnation of its missile and nuclear tests.

MOSCOW, January 26 (RIA Novosti)