North Korea is digging a new tunnel underground in the Punggye-ri nuclear test site (Source: Yonhap News)
It’s election in South Korea, and the conservatives are often accused of fear-mongering to secure votes, but if it’s good enough for the New York Times, and if pictures exist to prove something’s happening at Punggye-ri , we’ll run with it:
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea appears to be preparing for its third underground nuclear test even as it presses ahead with assembling a long-range rocket for its planned launching of a satellite this month, a South Korean government spokesman said Sunday.
Unconfirmed South Korean news reports in the past two years have claimed that North Korea was digging new tunnels at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site in Kilju, near the northeastern tip of the country, to follow up on two underground tests it conducted there in 2006 and 2009.
On Sunday, the government spokesman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he said he could not talk on the record on intelligence matters, said satellite images showed a growing pile of earth near the entrance of one tunnel, and government analysts said they considered it a potential sign of preparations for a test. A large amount of earth is needed to seal a tunnel before detonating a nuclear device inside.
The spokesman was confirming reports carried Sunday by the South Korean national news agency, Yonhap, and other national news outlets. The domestic news media reports were identical in their wording and details. South Korean television stations also carried satellite images showing the pile but did not reveal who had provided them. (Source: The New York Times)
I’m gonna get back to that little American thing called Easter, but recommend following some of the twitter links found here, as they’re offering a wonderful look into the media tours of the Tongchang-ri/Sohae launch facility.
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Craig was born & raised in the United States, having recently returned there after over five years in Asia. He is currently pursuing further education in the realms of East Asian Studies and Politics. Craig is an avid fan of the political, economic, and military machinations occurring throughout the Asian continent and how those turning gears affect the rest of the world. He's currently covering both North and South Korea for Asia Security Watch, enjoying shedding light on to this far-too-often ignored slice of Asia.
Craig Scanlan has 82 post(s) on Asia Security Watch
4 comments
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