Seoul monitoring Pyongyang for signs of nuclear test after uranium facility revelation: Presidential official

South Korea is monitoring the behavior of North Korea following its disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility, with speculation about a nuclear test growing ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a nuclear material producing facility with the regime officials, according to a report from the Korea Central News Agency on Friday. [RODONG SINMUN]

A senior official from the South Korean presidential office said Friday that the country is closely monitoring the recent behaviors of North Korea and assessing the regime’s intent behind the disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility.

The remarks from Seoul’s top office came after Pyongyang’s first revelation of a uranium enrichment facility earlier in the day. The site produces weapons-grade nuclear material for nuclear warheads.

The official said that “the timing of a nuclear test can vary according to the decisions made by the North Korean leadership" regarding a concern that the regime will conduct another nuclear test ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

The official also noted that definitive speculation on when the North may conduct such a test should be prevented.

According to the official, Pyongyang is likely to consider all relevant factors, such as domestic and external security situations, which include the U.S. presidential election, to determine a date for a nuclear test.

The official said both “the South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities are tracking the North’s behaviors, with all possibilities in mind.”

North Korea’s recent disclosure of its core military facility for uranium enrichment is seemingly a deliberate action to show off its presence before the United States elects its new president as well as an effort to raise its leverage and bargaining power in a potential negotiation with the United States.

During the visit, regime leader Kim ordered nuclear scientists and technicians to bolster the military's nuclear competencies and expand its production capabilities. According to a report by the state-controlled Korea Central News Agency, Kim stressed the need to further augment the number of centrifuges in order to exponentially increase the number of nuclear weapons for self-defense.

The South Korean government evaluated that North Korea had completed its preparations to conduct a seventh nuclear test. Some security experts assumed that it is likely that Pyongyang will conduct the test before the U.S. presidential election.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]