North Korea Ready for Nuclear Test? "No Unusual Activity at Punggye-ri Tunnel No. 3"

"7th Nuclear Test Expected at Punggye-ri... North Korea Also Has Other Sites"

In May 2018, North Korea's nuclear weapons research institute carried out demolition work to close the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province. An international press corps from five countries is covering the massive scale of Tunnel No. 4.
/Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] No significant activity has been observed at Punggye-ri Tunnel No. 3 in North Hamgyong Province, a leading candidate site for North Korea's potential 7th nuclear test, and construction of the access road to Tunnel No. 4 has reportedly been halted again. Some analysts interpret this as North Korea having completed all preparations for the nuclear test, while others suggest the possibility that the test could take place at a third location.

According to a report from 'Beyond Parallel,' a North Korea-focused media outlet under the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), satellite images taken on the 17th showed no unusual activity around Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site Tunnel No. 3. The report stated, "As both the U.S. and South Korean governments predicted, this appears to be because North Korea has completed all preparations for the 7th nuclear test." Both countries believe that if North Korea conducts an additional nuclear test, Tunnel No. 3 will be used.

Additionally, construction of the access road to Tunnel No. 4, which had occasionally shown signs of activity, has again been suspended.

Previously, as part of denuclearization confidence-building measures ahead of the first North Korea-U.S. summit in May 2018, North Korea demolished Tunnels No. 2 through No. 4 at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. However, since early this year, signs of restoration of the destroyed tunnels have been observed, and after preparations for a nuclear test were detected at Tunnel No. 3 in early June, no unusual activity has been noted, leading to the assessment that North Korea has effectively completed its preparations.

In the case of Tunnel No. 4, intermittent construction activity on the access road has led to speculation that North Korea may intend to expand nuclear testing to Tunnel No. 4 following Tunnel No. 3, or that the construction is a deceptive measure to mislead external observers. The report also pointed out, "Tunnel No. 4 could represent an expansion of North Korea's nuclear testing capability or a strategic camouflage measure."

Furthermore, the report stated, "The 7th nuclear test is almost certain to be conducted at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site," but added, "However, North Korea also possesses other locations for conducting nuclear tests, so the specific site can only be confirmed once the test is carried out."

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