Satellite Images Suggest North Korea Is Preparing New Nuclear Test Analysts say satellite images indicate activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site By Jonathan Cheng
https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-may-be-preparing-nuclear-test-1490749368
SEOUL—New commercial satellite imagery suggests that North Korea is preparing to test its sixth nuclear device, as the U.S. and Chinese leaders plan to meet next month on how to contain Pyongyang’s weapons program.
An analysis of commercial satellite imagery released on Tuesday by North Korea experts showed signs of activity at the nuclear test site at Punggye-ri in the country’s northeast, where North Korea had previously conducted tests.
Joseph Bermudez and Jack Liu, analysts for 38 North, said the imagery, taken on March 25, suggested that communications cables had recently been laid, and that water had been drained, at an entrance to an underground site.
That evidence “strongly suggests that test preparations are well under way,” said the men, writing for 38 North, a North Korea-focused website run by the U.S.-Korea Institute of the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies in Washington.
The analysts cautioned, however, that the apparent actions may be an effort to deceive experts monitoring North Korea’s nuclear test site for signs of activity.
North Korea has a history of timing internationally banned tests for maximum impact. If often launches missiles during joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises to protest them and bolster domestic support.
In January, Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan Mr. Trump met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the American leader’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Mr. Trump is tentatively scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida next month. No official itinerary has been released.
The new apparent signs of activity come about a week after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Seoul and the demilitarized zone that divides the Korean Peninsula. During his visit, Mr. Tillerson ruled out direct talks with North Korea for now, and suggested that tighter sanctions could be implemented to try to slow North Korea’s nuclear and weapons development programs.
North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year, suggesting it is ramping up activity. North Korea previously conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
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