Kim Jong Un (center) inspects an apparent hydrogen bomb, Aug. 2017 | Image: Foreign Languages Publishing House (Nov. 2020)
North Korea could conduct its seventh nuclear test as early as this month, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.
The assessment comes after satellite imagery analysis has revealed ongoing movement and activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri test site for months consistent with restoration work on tunnels leading to the underground nuclear test facility.
“The United States assesses that the DPRK is preparing its Punggye-ri test site and could be ready to conduct a test there as early as this month, which would be its seventh test,” said State Department principal deputy spokesperson
North Korea could conduct its seventh nuclear test as early as this month, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.
The assessment comes after satellite imagery analysis has revealed ongoing movement and activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri test site for months consistent with restoration work on tunnels leading to the underground nuclear test facility.
Jeongmin Kim is a Lead Correspondent at NK News, based in Seoul. Kim covers inter-Korean and DPRK-related foreign, defense and humanitarian affairs, and has covered the 2022 ROK Presidential election on the ground. Prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency's Seoul bureau. Follow her on Twitter @jeongminnkim