hankyoreh

By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter

Opinions are divided over the meaning of activities detected at two separate tunnels near the North Korea nuclear test site at the village of Punggye.

Some observers are saying the activity suggests North Korea might be planning two or more simultaneous tests, while others are raising the possibility of a diversionary tactic similar to the one used in the country’s December 2012 rocket launch.

On Feb. 2, Yonhap News quoted a South Korean government official as saying that efforts suggesting an imminent nuclear test were being completed at both the second (west) and third (south) tunnels of Punggye, a village in Kilju county, North Hamgyong province.

The report went on to say that one or both sites could be used for nuclear tests.

Previous reports suggested North Korea was initially preparing to use the west tunnel for its third nuclear test. In the past, it used the first (east) tunnel for its first nuclear test in 2006 and the west tunnel for its second in 2009.

A Ministry of National Defense official said North Korea could attempt a different kind nuclear test from the two simple ones using plutonium that it conducted in the past.

“We may see two or more simultaneous tests, a test with a highly enriched uranium weapon, or a test of a small nuclear warhead,” the official said.

“But all that depends on North Korea’s nuclear test strategy,” the official added.

Some experts said it was unlikely that North Korea would conduct two or more tests at once, since it only has around 40kg of plutonium and needs reserves for additional provocations in response to United Nations sanctions. It may be preparing in advance for a fourth test to respond to the reaction from UN and elsewhere to a third test.

On Jan. 31, Chung Seung-jo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military was watching very closely.

“It’s impossible to say for certain what is a tactic for deception,” he said. “We’re looking to see if this is so that their exact intentions aren’t detected, or if they’re actually preparing for a nuclear test.”

Chung was most likely referring to the simultaneous activity at the two tunnels.

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