South Korean defense chief says North Korea set for nuke test
(VOVWORLD) - North Korea remains ready to carry out a nuclear experiment, but no "particular" signs have emerged yet that the test is imminent, South Korea's defense minister Lee Jong-supsaid in a parliamentary briefing Monday.
 A North Korean missile launch in North Pyongan province, January 14, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
He also said that the North appears to be continuing preparations for a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) launch.
Lee's remarks came amid concerns that Pyongyang could engage in provocative acts in response to the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) military exercise between Seoul and Washington, which it has decried as a war rehearsal.
The minister said that the North is capable of conducting an underground nuclear experiment at Tunnel 3 of the Punggye-ri testing site, but there have been no unusual signs indicating any impending test.
Tunnel 3 is among the four known tunnels at the testing site. The North carried out its first nuclear test at Tunnel 1 in 2006, while Tunnel 2 was used for their next five underground nuclear experiments.