By Tae-jun Kang
Analysts speculate North Korea could conduct a test as soon as May — or not at all.
Uncertainty over whether North Korea is about to conduct its fourth nuclear test is causing confusion in South Korea as the media and the government voice different outlooks.
South Korean daily Segye Ilbo reported on February 26 that North Korea is expected to conduct its fourth nuclear test in May, quoting an unnamed government source, while South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense announced on the same day that there is no sign North Korea is preparing for a test.
An unnamed government source told Segye Ilbo that relevant authorities from South Korea and the United States have seen signs of North Korea preparing for a nuclear test in May. The source added the U.S. has been continuing under-the-table work to stop the test.
Segye Ilbo noted that indications of an impending test come along with other recent movements from North Korea escalating military tensions on the peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited military camps ten times since November last year, and the North Korean Army’s training has been unusually intense. It was reported that the frequency of training has witnessed a twentyfold increase compared to the previous year.
Read the full story at The Diplomat