Seoul Warns of Possible North Korea Nuke Test as Obama Flies to East Asia
North Korea may be preparing to conduct a nuclear test, South Korean officials warned Tuesday. Citing evidence of increased activity at its rival’s nuclear test site, defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said South Korea is “keeping in mind the possibility that North Korea may suddenly conduct a nuclear test in a short period of time.” Alternately, he said, the North may trying to “deceive us with what appears to be a nuclear test” — in other words, bluff.
Neither would be a surprise. After a successful round of North-South family reunions in February, relations have taken a turn for the worse, with the two sides exchanging fire across a disputed maritime border and the North vowing to conduct a “new form” of nuclear test. Pyongyang has conducted three prior tests — in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
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