North Korea’s first confirmed cases of COVID-19 may force the country to delay possible plans for a seventh nuclear test, experts told NK News, but by just how much depends on how effectively Pyongyang can contain the outbreak.

U.S. and ROK officials have  said in recent weeks that North Korea may conduct its seventh nuclear test as soon as this month, with the State Department citing movement and activity at the DPRK’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site

But Peter Ward, an economist specializing in the DPRK economy and a contributor to NK Pro, said COVID-19 will likely push nuclear