Recent satellite imagery suggests North Korea is excavating a new tunnel at its main nuclear test site, although there are no indications that a test in imminent, a US think tank said Thursday.
The tunnel is in a new area of the Punggye-ri site, separate from three other tunnels that the North has excavated or used for actual tests in the post, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said.
“While there are no indications that a nuclear test in imminent, the new tunnel adds to North Korea’s ability to conduct additional detonations over the coming years if it chooses to do so,” the institute said.
The latest satellite photos were taken in October and November, but the institute said a review on imagery over the past year showed construction on the new tunnel may have begun as early as April.
Full article: Photos show new N. Korea nuclear test tunnel: US think tank (Spacewar)
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