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S.Korea expects "surprise" DPRK nuke test at unpredictable time

Xinhua, April 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Korea's military on Tuesday expected the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to conduct a"surprise" nuclear test at an unpredictable time as seen in the case of its previous nuclear detonation.

"As seen in North Korea (DPRK)'s recent fourth nuclear test, there is a possibility for (the DPRK's fifth nuclear test) taking place by surprise at a time when we can hardly predict," Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun told a press briefing.

Moon said that the DPRK has prepared to detonate its nuclear device at any time and can actually do it when the country makes a decision, noting that the South Korean military is closely monitoring a surprise detonation.

According to South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities cited by Yonhap news agency, the moves of vehicles and personnel at a main DPRK nuclear test site recently increased two to three times more than last month.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye also warned Monday of possible DPRK nuclear provocation, saying that Pyongyang can conduct any type of abrupt provocations to break away from isolation and consolidate the regime following tougher sanctions toward the country.

Tougher-than-ever sanctions on Pyongyang were adopted at the UN Security Council in early March over the DPRK's fourth nuclear test and long-range rocket launch.

The DPRK detonated what it claimed was its first hydrogen bomb on Jan. 6, followed by the launch of a long-range rocket, which was condemned as a disguised test of ballistic missile technology, on Feb. 7.

From early March, Pyongyang raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula by firing short- and medium-range missiles and artillery shells in a show of force against annual U.S.-South Korea war games which the DPRK considers as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion.

The Key Resolve command post exercise, which kicked off on March 7, ended about 10 days later, but the Foal Eagle field training exercise is scheduled to last later this month. Endit