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A satellite image of North Korea¡¯s nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyeong Province, taken by the domestic multipurpose satellite Arirang-2 on Oct. 16, 2006.
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South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are watching North Korean moves to tighten security in Punggye-ri, North Hamgyeong Province, where it carried out a nuclear test in October last year. The North recently set up a barbed wire fence around the test site and stationed more soldiers there.
A South Korean government official on Sunday said a U.S. reconnaissance satellite detected the development, and Seoul and Washington are keeping an eye on Pyongyang while trying to figure out what it means.
They believe North Korea has strengthened security to prevent outside inspectors from collecting soil that could be used for analysis of last year¡¯s nuclear test. Seoul believes North Korea will not conduct any more nuclear tests in Punggye-ri since agreeing to implement second-phase denuclearization measures originally agreed in a Sept. 19, 2005 six-nation statement of principles.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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