North Korea yesterday announced a Parliament session just after its upcoming rocket launch in an apparent bid for maximum political mileage, as a US general said it may be planning a multiple missile test.

Analysts said that apart from domestic political considerations, the move also shows Pyongyang is confident the launch - which has raised regional tensions - will succeed.

"The first session of the 12th SPA (Supreme People's Assembly) will be convened in Pyongyang on April 9," the Korean Central News Agency reported.

The communist state has previously announced it will launch a communications satellite sometime between April 4 and 8.

The US and South Korea say this is a pretext to test-fire a long-range missile, in violation of a UN resolution passed after the North's 2006 missile and nuclear tests.

In Washington, the commander of US forces in South Korea said North Korea may test-fire several missiles to coincide with its scheduled launch.

General Walter Sharp said Pyongyang in July 2006 fired six shorter-range missiles in addition to its longest-range projectile, the Taepodong-2.

The Taepodong-2 failed after 40 seconds. Next month's launch is expected to be a test of an improved version.

"And we are watching very closely to see what else they will do between the fourth and the eighth of April, and that we're prepared for that," General Sharp told a Senate hearing.

General Sharp and the commander for the Pacific, Admiral Timothy Keating, said they were confident that any missile threatening US targets could be shot down with anti-missile weaponry.

North Korea has resisted pressure to call off the launch and warned that any attempt to shoot the rocket down would be seen as an act of war.