POSSIBLE 6TH NORTH KOREAN NUKE TEST: South Korean media is reporting this morning that there are signs of activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site in the far north, raising concerns that Kim Jong Un may be preparing another underground nuclear test. North Korea sent a formal letter of protest to the United Nations complaining that the current U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises are a rehearsal for “its evil intention of occupying the North by force,” and called the drills “nothing short of hysteric conduct to add fuel to the raging flames,” according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
The exercises dubbed Ulchi Freedom Guardian are set to end Thursday, and last Friday, North Korea launched some missiles in apparent response. Initially, U.S Pacific command said two of the short-range projectiles failed in flight, but later retracted that statement. Upon further review it appears the North fired rockets from the same kind of multiple launch system the North has arrayed along the DMZ to target Seoul. Last year, shortly after the annual U.S.-South Korean exercises ended, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test. The activity around the site this year could indicate another test, or it could just be staged as part of the North’s bellicose propaganda campaign.
