Yonhap News Agency:
North Korea is preparing for a nuclear test, though no test appears to be imminent, a ruling party lawmaker said Tuesday, citing South Korea’s spy agency.
Lee Chul-woo of the ruling Saenuri Party made the comment to reporters after being briefed by the National Intelligence Service during the parliamentary inspection of the spy agency.
The North has recently proposed that it may conduct a nuclear test in response to what it claims is the hostile policy of the United States and its allies.
North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013, drawing international condemnation and U.N. sanctions.
Lee also said North Korea did not launch a rocket earlier this month on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party due to international pressure, China’s opposition and North Korea’s technical ill-preparedness.
Liu Yunshan, who ranks fifth in China’s ruling Communist Party hierarchy, visited Pyongyang for the North’s key anniversary and talked with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
There is lingering speculation that Pyongyang may still launch a long-range rocket in the coming months to put what it claims is a satellite into orbit.
Seoul and Washington view a satellite launch as a cover for testing the North’s ballistic missile technology, which is banned under U.N. resolutions.
The North has claimed that it mastered the technology to make nuclear warheads small enough to mount on missiles.
Adm. William Gortney, commander of U.S. Northern Command, said earlier this month he agrees with the intelligence community’s assessment the North has the ability and technology to put nuclear weapons on rockets that can reach the continental United States.
Lee, however, said North Korea has not mastered the miniaturization technology, citing South Korea’s spy agency.
