North Korea have reached the final stages in their preparations to conduct a fourth nuclear test, but may delay detonating the device, South Korea’s Minister of Defense said on Thursday.

Speaking to a group of journalists Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin was reported to have said that “North Korea can conduct an atomic test whenever it makes a decision.”

Kim said that despite the preparations for a test being complete, North Korea could delay detonating a nuclear device until a time that is politically advantageous.

“North Korea is very good at psychological manipulation…Thus, we cannot rule out the possibility that the