South Korean Intelligence Calls North Korea Possibly Conducting Nuclear Tests After US Presidential Election

North Korea's ballistic missile launch test. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - South Korean intelligence authorities assess that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test after the United States Presidential election which will be held next November.

The National Intelligence Agency (NIS) made an assessment of the parliamentary intelligence committee on Thursday, saying Pyongyang had other options, such as an intercontinental ballistic missile test, according to lawmaker Lee Seong-Kweun of the ruling People's Power Party and Park Sun-won of the main Democratic Party opposition Korea.

NIS also reports that North Korea has about 70 kilograms of plutonium and a large amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is sufficient to make at least double digits of nuclear weapons.

The agency said North Korea appeared to be thinking about the US elections when it revealed the HEU facility for the first time earlier this month.

The disclosure can also be aimed at instilling confidence in domestic communities struggling with the country's crippling economy, NIS reports.

"Externally, it can be interpreted as a move the US is taking ahead of its presidential election, while internally it appears to be an attempt to increase trust among the population amid a very bad economic situation," Lee said, quoted by The Korea Times September 26.

Earlier this month, North Korean state media publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time in the form of a visit by leader Kim Jong-un there, but did not disclose the location of the facility or the date of Leader Kim's visit.

Regarding the location of the facility, NIS said it was most likely Kangson's nuclear complex near Pyongyang, although it was difficult to provide a definite answer.

The agency said North Korea's test launch of a new tactical ballistic missile on September 18 was aimed at verifying its precision attack capabilities. One of the two missiles fired managed to hit the target, NIS said, calling it a "little improvement from before."