“South Korean and US intelligence authorities’ assessment is North Korea is prepared to carry out an additional nuclear test at Punggye-ri”, Moon Sang Gyun told reporters.
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Last week, North Korea conducted its fifth and largest nuclear test, saying it has the ability to mount a warhead to an intercontinental ballistic missile, prompting fears of an imminent attack.
Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and China agreed to communicate and work with each other in regards to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions that were again highlighted by Pyongyang’s latest nuke test, the foreign ministry here said Saturday.
Earlier today, a USA special envoy for the isolated state said that the United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of UN sanctions. The first test was conducted in the first tunnel, while the second, the third and the fourth detonations came from the second tunnel.
Yonhap news agency, citing unidentified Seoul government sources, reported Monday there were signs the North had finished test preparations in an unused tunnel.
The missiles were tracked over North Korea and into the Sea of Japan; they were determined to not have posed a threat to North America.
The UN Security Council has denounced North Korea’s nuclear test and US, France and Britain have pushed for new sanctions to be imposed on the country.
The most powerful nuclear test drew global outrage and gave rise to new United Nations sanctions against the country.
Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said a nuclear test carried out by North Korea is “not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula”.
Experts say that the test marks a significant yet incremental step for North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
Obama reaffirmed, as he has done repeatedly following North Korean ballistic missile launches, the U.S. commitment to “take necessary steps to defend our allies in the region”, namely South Korea and Japan.
In response to North Korea’s most recent test the United States promised “the strongest possible” measures to counter “the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans”.
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According to the BBC, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the members to remain united in thwarting North Korea’s nuclear expansion.
