North Korea likely to test nuclear weapon ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to Seoul

A South Korean lawmaker on Thursday said that North Korea has completed preparations for a nuclear test and is seeking the best moment to carry it out, a day before US President Joe Biden is due to arrive in Seoul.

Speaking to reporters, after being briefed by Seoul’s National Intelligence Service, lawmaker Ha Tae-keung said that despite North Korea’s recent Covid-19 outbreak, the “preparations for a nuclear test have been completed and they are only looking for the right time”.

Also read: North Korea ramps up production of medicines and supplies to fight Covid: Report

Earlier, the United States said it believes there is a “genuine possibility” that North Korea could conduct a nuclear test while Biden is on his first trip as president to Asia.

It is reported that Biden will arrive in Seoul late on Friday for a series of summits.

Also read: ‘Higher risk of new variants’: WHO on Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea

“Our intelligence does reflect the genuine possibility” of nuclear-capable missile tests or a nuclear weapon test around the time of Biden’s trip, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

Satellite imagery indicates North Korea is preparing to conduct a nuclear test, and the United States and South Korea have been warning for weeks that it could come any day.

Also read: Kim Jong Un faces ‘huge dilemma’ as outbreak worsens in North Korea

North Korea announced its first COVID-19 cases last week, and is now reporting hundreds of thousands of cases of “fever” daily, with analysts saying a test could help distract the regime from the outbreak.