The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) maintained Thursday that there are «growing indications» that North Korea is preparing to conduct what would be its first nuclear test since 2017.
«We hope it doesn’t happen, but the indications (are) unfortunately going in another direction,» IAEA Director Rafael Grossi told reporters in New York, where the agency’s office is located at UN headquarters.
«Everyone is holding their breath on this because another nuclear test would be yet another confirmation of a program that is going full steam ahead in an incredibly worrying way,» Grossi added.
Observers have been fearing for months that, following Pyongyang’s numerous missile tests, North Korea’s first nuclear test in nearly five years is imminent.
The IAEA has been highlighting activity at Punggye Ri, where North Korea conducted six nuclear test explosions between 2006 and 2017, since June.
The United States warned Monday that North Korea is «likely» to conduct a nuclear missile test after seeing escalating tensions in recent weeks.
«Our concern about the possibility of another North Korean nuclear test, which would be the seventh, has been consistent for some time (…). This is consistent with North Korea’s own public statements, and it is something we have said for several months now,» U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told a press conference, according to a State Department statement.
