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North Korea may carry out another nuclear test soon — South Korean Defense Ministry

The South Korean Defense Ministry had previously noted that Pyongyang was fully ready for a fourth nuclear test at its main range in the northeast of the DPRK

© AP Photo/Lee Jin-man

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TOKYO, April 22. /ITAR-TASS/. Pyongyang is capable of carrying out another nuclear test soon, a spokesman for the South Korean Defense Ministry warned on Tuesday.

“Our military has detected various signs at the Punggye-ri nuclear site in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province,” the spokesman said. He said South Korea’s assessment is that North Korea (DPRK) may conduct a nuclear test "soon", though it is possible that the detected signs are merely part of the North's continuing cycle of "deception", the Kyodo news agency reported. North Korea in October 2006 carried out its first nuclear test at Punggye-ri. Seoul has warned Pyongyang against carrying out another nuclear test, saying the international community would come up with “grave countermeasures” to punish it.

The South Korean Defense Ministry had previously noted that Pyongyang was fully ready for a fourth nuclear test at its main range in the northeast of the DPRK. At the same time, Pyongyang stressed in early April that the country had “no other choice” but to conduct new nuclear tests if Washington continues its attempts to overthrow the current regime in the north of the Korean Peninsula. This position of the North was expressed by DPRK deputy ambassador to the UN Ri Tong Il.

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