South Korea's military intelligence agency has informed lawmakers that North Korea is believed to have completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test and is nearing a test launch of a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States. The agency also revealed that advance units of North Korean troops sent to Russia may have arrived at battlefronts in the Kursk region.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had previously anticipated major provocations from North Korea, including nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, around the time of the U.S. election to increase pressure on Washington and its allies. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been actively showcasing the country's military nuclear program through missile tests and the disclosure of a uranium production facility.
The military intelligence agency disclosed that North Korea is ready to conduct a nuclear test at its Punggye-ri testing ground, with tunnel No. 3 likely to be the site of detonation. Additionally, signs indicate that North Korea is close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to target the U.S. mainland, with preparations including the deployment of a launch vehicle and missile.
Experts suggest that North Korea may soon conduct an ICBM test to verify atmospheric re-entry technology, a crucial step in developing functional long-range missiles. The country has historically conducted ICBM tests at high angles to avoid neighboring territories, but may now seek to test the warhead under normal ballistic trajectory conditions.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated since 2022, with North Korea leveraging Russia's invasion of Ukraine to accelerate its nuclear weapons and missile program. The international community closely monitors developments in North Korea as concerns grow over potential provocations and advancements in its military capabilities.
