SOUTH KOREA: Defence ministry says North Korea is ready to conduct another nuclear test and to fire a ballistic missile

Record ID: 524173

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: Defence ministry says North Korea is ready to conduct another nuclear test and to fire a ballistic missile
  • Date: 8th April 2013
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (APRIL 8, 2013) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN KIM MIN-SEOK WALKING INTO NEW BRIEFING ROOM JOURNALISTS KIM AND JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN KIM MIN-SEOK SAYING: "We all know about the possibility that North Korea would fire a ballistic missile, so we are closely monitoring with
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Korea, Republic of
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVYO36A55K666JHQNQNAPELJW
  • Story Text: South Korean defence ministry said on Monday (April 8) North Korea is ready to fire a ballistic missile and to conduct another nuclear test.

    "We all know about the possibility that North Korea would fire a ballistic missile, so we are closely monitoring with the U.S. the North's movement in possibly firing a ballistic missile," South Korea's defence ministry spokesman, Kim Min-Seok, said in a regular news conference on Monday.
    South Korean media said on Friday (April 5) the North had moved two medium-range missiles to its east coast, but there has been no confirmation of such a move. Washington has said it would not be surprised if the North conducted another missile test.
    The ministry also underlined the possibility of a fourth North Korean nuclear test.

    "We have told you at briefings since last February that North Korea had finished its preparations in the south tunnel as well as in the west tunnel to conduct a nuclear test. The situation remains the same," Kim said.
    Activity in North Korea appears to show it is preparing for a fourth nuclear test, with movement at its atomic test site similar to events preceding earlier blasts, a South Korean newspaper reported on Monday, quoting a senior South Korean government official.

    "There's no reason for North Korea not to conduct a nuclear test and to fire a ballistic missile at the same time, because those things would be done at different places. It's up to North Korea, anyway," Kim added.
    The North's third nuclear test on February 12 prompted tougher U.N. sanctions, which triggered a hostile response from Pyongyang.
    South Korea's defence minister, Kim Kwan-jin, told lawmakers after the third nuclear test that an additional test was possible.
    North Korea warned on Friday it could not guarantee the safety of diplomats after next Wednesday (April 10) and asked embassies to consider moving staff out of the country, European diplomats said, amid high tension on the Korean peninsula.
    North Korea has intensified warnings in recent weeks, declaring it had entered a state of war with Seoul, threatening to strike U.S. targets and blocking access to a border factory complex jointly run with the South.
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