N. Korea likely to use Punggye-ri Tunnel 3 for 7th nuclear test

Military intelligence has recently assessed that North Korea is highly likely to conduct its 7th nuclear test at Tunnel 3 of the Punggye-ri nuclear site in North Hamgyong Province. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has officially confirmed that Tunnel 3, which has already been restored to operational status, is "being maintained for potential nuclear tests at any time."

On Monday, National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik stated that the possibility of a 7th nuclear test is “very high,” adding that “Kim Jong Un could decide to proceed with the test whenever he wants.”There is growing speculation that North Korea could carry out a nuclear test ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, especially after the regime recently unveiled its high-enriched uranium (HEU) production facility for the first time. If Kim Jong Un presses the button this year, it would mark the first nuclear test since 2017.

South Korean military and intelligence agencies have reportedly stepped up surveillance on North Korea’s nuclear facilities, including Punggye-ri and Yongbyon. “With simultaneous signs of nuclear provocations and the U.S. election just around the corner, it’s hard not to take the possibility of a nuclear test seriously,” a government source told The Dong-A Ilbo in a phone interview. “We are closely tracking North Korea because the recent reveal of the HEU plant increases the likelihood of a nuclear test.”

South Korean authorities are mainly focused on Tunnel 3 at Punggye-ri, as there have been signs of increased activity, including facility maintenance and a rise in personnel movements. The Defense Intelligence Agency responded to a parliamentary inquiry from Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the People Power Party, stating, “If North Korea pushes ahead with a nuclear test, Tunnel 3 is the most likely location.”


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com · Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com