S. Korean spy agency warns of more N. Korean nuclear, missile tests: report
South Korean officials have alerted the international community that North Korea may soon launch more nuclear and missile tests, CNN reported.
Another missile test is possible as there has been “active movement of vehicles around a missile research institute in Pyongyang,” according to a report written by members of South Korea’s parliamentary intelligence committee.
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South Korean officials wrote the report Thursday after a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service, the country’s spy agency
The agency also “predicts that North Korea will continue to carry out additional nuclear tests and push for the development of miniaturized, diversified nuclear warheads,” the report said.
At the Punggye-ri nuclear test site where the missile and nuclear tests are conducted using underground tunnels, Tunnel 3 “is ready to carry out a nuclear test at any time.”
A U.S. official told CNN that North Korea is also working on an advanced version of its KN-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which could potentially reach the United States mainland.
North Korea claimed in September that it had carried out a successful test of a hydrogen bomb, which the country plans to mount on the KN-20 ICBM. The isolated country has not yet shown it has the capability to reach the U.S. mainland.
The report comes as Trump leaves Friday to travel to China, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea as part of the now 13-day trip to meet with Asian leaders. The meetings will likely focus on Trump’s efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear program.
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