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North Korea has been moving forward with its test launches for months, the tests becoming more frequent over time. South Korean news has warned that the isolated nation may be set to test an intercontinental ballistic missile soon.
Reuters reports local South Korean news has reported that North Korea may be testing its intercontinental ballistic missile soon, becoming a cause of concern for the South Korean government. This comes as Pyongyang appears to break its self-imposed ban on testing its missiles, a sign of the ongoing tensions occurring in the Korean peninsula.
According to Chosun Ilbo news, outgoing President Moon Jae-in's office told incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol that a test launch from North Korea was imminent and that it would not be surprising if it happened on Monday.
Yonhap news also reported that both Seoul and the US have detected signs of an upcoming test from Pyongyang. Moon’s national security adviser Suh Hoon briefed Yoon over the weekend about foreign policy and security issues, according to the report, citing people familiar with the matter.
A spokesperson for Moon’s office said Suh briefed Yoon on the matters regarding North Korea and its recent activities including ballistic missile launches and the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Yoon’s spokesperson Kim Eun-hye told reporters that the president-elect would be receiving more briefings but did not disclose details on security issues.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, urged North Korea to immediately stop actions that could threaten peace and stability in the peninsula.
Friday last week, the US and South Korea made a rare joint announcement saying that Pyongyang used its largest ICBM in two recent test launches disguised as satellite launch preparations.
The warnings come as Yoon was recently elected to the presidency last week during the South Korean presidential elections. Yoon, a Conservative candidate, defeated his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung in a close race, winning by 48.6 percent of the votes while Lee received 47.8 percent of the total votes. Yoon is set to take office in May to start his five-year term.
When it came to North Korea, Yoon has said that he plans to deal with provocations from Pyongyang sternly and look to boost security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo.
