North Korea ready for 7th nuclear test, says US official
A US MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System round, seen here being test-fired at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in December 2021, has a range of around 300 km. Use of its true range by Ukrainian forces might offset the threat from a massing of North Korean troops in the Kursk region. (Photo via US Army)
A senior U.S. official has confirmed that North Korea is ready to conduct its seventh nuclear test and is only awaiting a political decision to proceed, South Korean media reported on Saturday.
Alexandra Bell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability, reiterated the U.S. commitment to South Korea’s security and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, according to Yonhap News.
“The United States assesses that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has prepared its Punggye-ri test site for a potential seventh nuclear test and is awaiting a political decision to move forward,” Bell stated during a conference.
In response, North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense issued a stark warning to the U.S., demanding an end to what it called “hostile actions” that it claims are escalating regional instability.
Pyongyang warned that such provocations could push military tensions on the Korean Peninsula toward armed conflict.
In a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the ministry condemned the U.S. for deploying the George Washington nuclear carrier strike group near the peninsula and for conducting joint military drills with South Korea.
“The current critical political and military situation, where U.S. military provocations have surpassed red lines globally, indicates that U.S. actions targeting the DPRK could lead to an actual war at any moment,” the statement read.
North Korea further stated that its military is closely monitoring developments and will take immediate action if necessary to preemptively neutralize threats and achieve its strategic objectives.
