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“Following the UN Security Council resolution condemning North Korea’s missile launch on July 5, there is a greater possibility that the North will conduct a nuclear test,” an official with the Defense Ministry said. “So the ministry sent six soldiers on Aug. 14 to the Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources," a state-run agency in Daejeon, to monitor seismic tremors on the Korean Peninsula.

The agency, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, has regularly monitored nuclear test activities since 1996 when South Korea joined the UN’s Comprehensive (Nuclear) Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). But since North Korea’s missile launch and the UN resolution, the government apparently concluded that there is high chance that the North will carry out a nuclear test. The agency has some 30 observation stations across the nation and monitoring about possible nuclear test has mainly been conducted by analyzing data sent to related agencies from an observation station in Wonju, Gangwon Province.

Indeed, the North hinted at a nuclear weapons test right after the missile launch and the UN resolution, saying if the U.S. tries to pressure the North, it will be forced to take “stronger physical action.” The U.S. broadcaster ABC on Friday said North Korea seems to be preparing for a nuclear test in Gilju, North Hamgyeong Province, quoting anonymous State and Defense Department officials.

(englishnews@chosun.com )