The world
“holds its breath”
before a possible new North Korean nuclear test which would be a
“new confirmation”
that the nuclear program of Pyongyang
“advances at full speed”
, worried Thursday October 27 the boss of the International Agency of atomic energy (IAEA).
“Everyone is holding their breath
,” Rafael Grossi told reporters on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine,
“because another nuclear test would be another confirmation of a nuclear program that is moving full steam ahead in an incredibly worrying direction
,” he added.
“New testing, of course, means they are fine-tuning the preparation and building of their arsenal.
So we are following this very closely
, ”he said.
"We hope that doesn't happen, but unfortunately the indications point the other way."
.
We hope that doesn't happen, but unfortunately the indications point the other way.
»
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Seoul and Washington have repeatedly warned that Pyongyang could be on the verge of carrying out another nuclear test, for the first time since 2017, after a series of ballistic missile launches in recent weeks.
A missile flew over Japan last month and North Korea has separately claimed to have carried out tactical nuclear drills.
The United States, Japan and South Korea warned on Wednesday that a North Korean nuclear test would prompt an
"unprecedented force response"
.