South Korea said yesterday an agreement with the United States to scrap a weight limit on its warheads would help it respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threat after it conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test two days ago.
South Korean officials believe more weapons tests by the reclusive state are possible, despite international outrage over Sunday's nuclear test and calls for more sanctions against it.
South Korea's Asia Business Daily, citing an unidentified source, reported that North Korea had been observed moving a rocket that appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards its west coast. The rocket started moving on Monday and was spotted moving only at night to avoid surveillance, the newspaper said.
Analysts and South Korean policymakers believe North Korea may test another weapon on or around Sept. 9, when it celebrates its founding day.
North Korea's fifth nuclear test fell on that date last year, reflecting its tendency to conduct weapons tests on significant dates.
North Korea says it needs to develop its weapons to defend itself against what it sees as U.S. aggression.
South Korea, after weeks of rising tension, is talking to the United States about deploying aircraft carriers and strategic bombers to the Korean peninsula, and has been ramping up its own defenses. U.S. President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, agreed on Monday to scrap a warhead weight limit on South Korea's missiles, South Korea's presidential office said, enabling it to strike North Korea with greater force in the event of war.
South Korea and the United States are technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was "begging for war" and urged the 15-member Security Council to impose the "strongest possible" sanctions to deter him and shut down his trading partners. Trump has repeatedly warned that "all options were on the table" regarding North Korea, including military options.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said threats of military action were counterproductive. China's foreign ministry said it would take part in Security Council discussions in "a responsible and constructive manner."