The National Intelligence Service of South Korea told lawmakers during a closed-door briefing on Thursday that North Korea has "finished preparing for a nuclear test and is only looking at the [right] timing" to conduct it. South Korean lawmaker Ha Tae-Keung stated that there were also "signs of a missile launch" and that intelligence suspects it was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
When asked whether the latest possible missile launch was in line with United States President Joe Biden's schedule to visit South Korea, the country's Democratic Party representative Kim Byung-Ki shared that the action is nothing out of the ordinary for North Korea.
Earlier, US officials warned that a nuclear test could be conducted during Biden's visit to Asia. Furthermore, it was reported that the US and South Korea have prepared an alternative plan for the US head's visit, in case North Korea decides to send provocations.
