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North Korea could be preparing for another nuclear test, South Korea’s Park warns North Korea could be preparing for fifth nuclear test, South Korea’s Park warns
(about 5 hours later)
TOKYO — North Korea appears to be getting ready to conduct another nuclear test, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Monday, citing signs of increased movement around the North’s nuclear test site. TOKYO — North Korea appears to be preparing to conduct another nuclear test, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Monday, citing signs of increased movement near the North’s nuclear test site.
With a much-hyped congress of the communist Workers’ Party to be held early next month, Kim Jong Un appears to be trying to burnish his credentials, and analysts say that a fifth nuclear test would be a sure-fire way to do that.With a much-hyped congress of the communist Workers’ Party to be held early next month, Kim Jong Un appears to be trying to burnish his credentials, and analysts say that a fifth nuclear test would be a sure-fire way to do that.
“Recently, signs of preparations for a fifth nuclear test have been detected,” Park said during a meeting with her aides on Monday. “We are in a situation in which we cannot predict what provocations North Korea might conduct to break away from isolation and to consolidate the regime,” she said, according to local pool reports from the meeting. “Recently, signs of preparations for a fifth nuclear test have been detected,” Park said during a meeting with her aides Monday. “We are in a situation in which we cannot predict what provocations North Korea might conduct to break away from isolation and to consolidate the regime,” she said, according to local pool reports from the meeting.
This came after her defense ministry said that North Korea’s next underground nuclear test might be of a miniaturized warhead, rather than of the standard atomic devices it has thought to have detonated previously. This came after the South Korean Defense Ministry said that North Korea’s next underground nuclear test may be of a miniaturized warhead, rather than of the standard atomic devices it is thought to have detonated previously.
“Given the latest developments, North Korea could carry out an underground nuclear warhead test and we are keeping close tabs on it,” Moon Sang-gyun, a defense ministry spokesman, told reporters in Seoul on Monday. “Given the latest developments, North Korea could carry out an underground nuclear warhead test, and we are keeping close tabs on it,” Moon Sang-gyun, a Defense Ministry spokesman, told reporters in Seoul on Monday.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency last month reported that Kim Jong Un had ordered “a nuclear warhead explosion test and a test-fire of several kinds of ballistic rockets able to carry nuclear warheads” to be carried out “in a short time.” The North’s official Korean Central News Agency last month reported that Kim ordered “a nuclear warhead explosion test and a test-fire of several kinds of ballistic rockets able to carry nuclear warheads” to be carried out “in a short time.”
[North Korea unveils homemade engine for missile capable of striking U.S.][North Korea unveils homemade engine for missile capable of striking U.S.]
North Korea has been claiming that it has now mastered the technology to make nuclear weapons small and light enough to fit onto a missile, but there has been no proof to back up its claims. However, an increasing number of military top brass and private sector analysts believe that North Korea will have either made or be on the brink of making this technological advance soon. North Korea claims that it has mastered the technology to make nuclear weapons small and light enough to fit on a missile, but there has been no proof. But an increasing number of military top brass and private-sector analysts think that North Korea will have either made or be on the brink of making such a technological advance soon.
South Korean officials had previously warned Sunday that they had detected a noticeable increase in vehicles and people moving around North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site, particularly around its north portal tunnel. All four of North Korea’s previous tests have been carried out underground at the Punggye-ri site, in the country’s northeast. South Korean officials warned Sunday that they detected a noticeable increase in vehicles and people moving about North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site, particularly near its north portal tunnel. All four of North Korea’s previous tests have been carried out underground at the Punggye-ri site, in the country’s northeast.
Analysts at 38 North, a website devoted to North Korea, said they also saw in satellite imagery increased movement around the north portal, but that there was little evidence that Pyongyang was planning an imminent nuclear test. Analysts at 38 North, a website devoted to watching and analyzing North Korea, said that they also saw in satellite imagery increased movement around the north portal but that there was little evidence that Pyongyang was planning an imminent nuclear test.
“Nevertheless, that possibility can not be entirely ruled out since the North may be able to conduct a nuclear test on short notice with few indications that it intends to do so,” Jack Liu, a military analyst, wrote in a note on the site.“Nevertheless, that possibility can not be entirely ruled out since the North may be able to conduct a nuclear test on short notice with few indications that it intends to do so,” Jack Liu, a military analyst, wrote in a note on the site.
[North Korea works around the clock to prepare for the ‘70-day campaign’][North Korea works around the clock to prepare for the ‘70-day campaign’]
A fifth nuclear test would create another conundrum for the international community as Kim’s regime has proven impervious to coordinated efforts to change his calculus when it comes to North Korea’s nuclear program. A fifth nuclear test would create another conundrum for the international community as Kim’s regime has proved impervious to coordinated efforts to change his calculus when it comes to the North’s nuclear program.
Last month, the United Nations Security Council passed the toughest sanctions yet against North Korea as punishment for its January nuclear test and the February long-range rocket launch. Last month, the U.N. Security Council passed the toughest sanctions yet against North Korea as punishment for its January nuclear test and the February long-range rocket launch.
Yet Kim has remained defiant, issuing an almost-daily barrage of threats and continuing to launch rockets and short-range missiles. An attempt to launch a previously-untested intermediate-range ballistic missile last week was deemed to have failed. Yet Kim has remained defiant, issuing an almost-daily barrage of threats and continuing to launch rockets and short-range missiles. An attempt to launch a previously untested intermediate-range ballistic missile last week was deemed to have failed.
At a forum in Seoul, Lim Sung-nam, vice foreign minister, said that more pressure and punishment against North Korea was needed.At a forum in Seoul, Lim Sung-nam, vice foreign minister, said that more pressure and punishment against North Korea was needed.
“We can no longer afford to be pushed around by North Korea’s deceipt and intimidation,” Lim said. “The leadership in Pyongyang must be pressed much harder until it changes its fundamental calculation regarding the value of its nuclear arsenal and delivery capabilities.” “We can no longer afford to be pushed around by North Korea’s deceit and intimidation,” Lim said. “The leadership in Pyongyang must be pressed much harder until it changes its fundamental calculation regarding the value of its nuclear arsenal and delivery capabilities.”
In addition to supporting the tough U.N. resolutions, Park’s government has brought in unprecedented bilateral sanctions against North Korea, closing an inter-Korean industrial park and cutting off all humanitarian aid except for babies and pregnant women. In addition to supporting the tough U.N. resolutions, Park’s government has brought in unprecedented bilateral sanctions against North Korea, closing an inter-Korean industrial park and cutting off all humanitarian aid except to babies and pregnant women.
[North Korea animated video shows devastating attack on Seoul][North Korea animated video shows devastating attack on Seoul]
During the meeting with her aides Monday, Park said that the sanctions were already taking effect, citing the group defection of North Koreans who had been working at a restaurant in China and North Korea’s angry reaction to sanctions, which included a computer-simulated attack on the presidential Blue House in Seoul. During the meeting with her aides Monday, Park said that the sanctions were already taking effect, citing the group defection of North Koreans who were working at a restaurant in China and North Korea’s angry reaction to sanctions, which included a computer-simulated attack on the presidential Blue House in Seoul.
Park said her government was “fully prepared” for North Korea’s actions. “Our military must maintain its strong readiness to deliver harsh punishment against all forms of North Korean provocations, anytime and anywhere,” she said.Park said her government was “fully prepared” for North Korea’s actions. “Our military must maintain its strong readiness to deliver harsh punishment against all forms of North Korean provocations, anytime and anywhere,” she said.
She also gave a nod to her conservative party’s devastating defeat in general elections last week. “Internally, I ask the nation to be united regardless of ruling or opposition party and conservative or liberal when it comes to national security and inter-Korean issues,” she said. Park also gave a nod to her conservative party’s devastating defeat in general elections last week. “Internally, I ask the nation to be united regardless of ruling or opposition party and conservative or liberal when it comes to national security and inter-Korean issues,” she said.
Yoonjung Seo in Seoul contributed reporting. Yoonjung Seo in Seoul contributed to this report.
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