North Korea ‘primes nuclear test’

NUCLEAR experts identified a “primed and ready” missile test site in North Korea yesterday as Kim Jong-un intensified his row with Donald Trump.

Satellite images suggested the Punggye-ri site was in its final stage of preparation. North Korea was thought to be carrying out the test as a defiant show of strength to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of its founding father Kim Il-sung.

The revelation came as China tried to intervene in the escalating feud between the US President and North Korea’s dictator. President Xi – Kim’s biggest ally – called for the dispute to be resolved “through peaceful means” and offered to help by maintaining talks with the White House.

His move followed America’s decision to divert an “armada”, led by aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, towards the Korean peninsula.

Mr Trump had warned that he would not tolerate further provocation following Kim’s threat last Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the US.

Details of the development at the Punggye-ri site were revealed by the Washington-based US Korea Institute.

Its blog, 38 North, said the facility was ready because it had stopped pumping water out of its underground tunnels and producing fresh debris.

The analysts had correctly predicted North Korea’s last test in September.

Punggye-ri’s site is deep below the surface of Mount Mantap, which could withstand a blast of up to 282 kilotons – 20 times the force of Hiroshima.

Joseph Bermudez, of Jane’s Information Group, said: “In the past six to eight weeks we have seen a higher level of activity. This is strongly suggestive of an upcoming nuclear test.

“North Korea believes the only way to deter the US from attacking them and maintaining the regime’s power is by possessing nuclear weapons.”