By Park Si-soo
The R.O.K Army and the U.S. Army are on emergency standby Saturday as North Korea is expected to carry out its fifth nuclear test in the days to come. They don’t rule out the possibility that the provocation could happen this weekend -- as early as Saturday.
Seoul and Washington are sharing related intelligence on a real time basis, while top nuclear envoys of South Korea and China are discussing a range of cooperative measures to thwart the North’s nuclear test.
American and South Korean military surveillance captured the movements showing that all preparations are complete at North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear site, according to local news reports. Satellite imagery revealed that a significant number of vehicles along with other equipment was no longer visible at the site.
That could mean the reclusive state has taken the final steps before conducting its next test. All personnel have been evacuated to safe areas, according to reports.
U.S. and South Korean joint intelligence also has evidence that North Korea's army has blocked roads around the area, in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province. The same type of activity also occurred immediately before North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6.
In light of recent North Korea announcements, it’s likely the weapon the North will test this time is a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could be mounted on top of a long-range ballistic missile, experts said.
Experts believe the fifth nuclear test will happen before the North’s much-hyped congress of the ruling Workers’ Party that will be held early next month because it will help North Korean leader Kim Jong-un tighten his grip on power.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported last month that Kim ordered “a nuclear warhead explosion test and a test-fire of several kinds of ballistic rockets able to carry nuclear warheads” to be conducted “in a short time.”
Meanwhile, South Korea and China on Friday warned North Korea of “additional grave measures” if the North goes ahead with a fifth nuclear test.
Kim Hong-kyun, South Korea’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, made the remarks after holding talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Dawei, in Beijing earlier in the day.
Kim said he and Wu “affirmed our firm opposition to any provocations by North Korea that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, including an additional nuclear test.”
“We agreed that additional measures should be taken if North Korea makes a provocation despite these international warnings,” Kim said.