The Defense Intelligence Agency of South Korea has assessed that North Korea maintains the capacity to conduct its seventh nuclear test promptly, should a directive be issued by leader Kim Jong Un, according to Yonhap on November 5.
The intelligence indicated that if a decision is made to utilize the No. 3 tunnel at the Punggye-ri test site, the test could be executed within a short operational timeframe. North Korea’s last underground nuclear test occurred in 2017.
Furthermore, the agency’s assessment suggests that Pyongyang is intensifying efforts to secure nuclear material and is simultaneously establishing diverse manufacturing facilities required for nuclear warheads.
In parallel with its nuclear program, North Korea appears to be preparing for the launch of an additional reconnaissance satellite. This new satellite is reportedly capable of providing higher-resolution imagery compared to existing assets, potentially leveraging technological assistance acquired from Russia.
Pyongyang successfully launched its inaugural military spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, in November 2023, and subsequently announced plans to deploy three more reconnaissance satellites during 2024. However, no further successful launches have been reported since a rocket carrying a satellite exploded shortly after liftoff in May of the preceding year.
Earlier, Earlier, on October 28, North Korea reported that it carried out a test of sea-to-surface “strategic” cruise missiles in the Yellow Sea. This action occurred just hours preceding the arrival of US President Donald Trump in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.
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