North Korea could be planning its first nuclear weapon test in nearly five years, according to a senior US official who urged the regime to step back from further provocations following its recent long-range missile test.
Sung Kim, the special representative for North Korea policy at the US state department, said Washington believes Pyongyang could demonstrate its growing nuclear weapons capacity on 15 April, an annual holiday held to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the birth of the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung.
“We are worried that in connection with the upcoming anniversary, the DPRK may be tempted to take another provocative action,” Kim told reporters on Wednesday, using the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
He added: “I don’t want to speculate too much, but I think it could be another missile launch, it could be a nuclear test.
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