US believes Pyongyang would resume nuclear tests 0:42
(CNN) --
US military and intelligence agencies are assessing that North Korea may be ready to resume underground nuclear tests this month, according to three US officials.
The assessment concludes that Kim Jong Un's regime is making preparations at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and could be ready to conduct a test by the end of the month.
Signs of personnel and vehicle activity at the site have been seen via satellite imagery, but officials do not know if the regime has placed nuclear material in one of the underground tunnels at the test site, which the United States has been closely watching. close.
Basic facts and nuclear timeline of North Korea
If North Korea conducts a test, it would be the country's seventh underground nuclear test and the first in nearly five years.
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledges officers and soldiers who participated in the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Revolutionary People's Army on April 27.
Biden will travel to South Korea and Japan
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit South Korea and Japan later this month.
It wouldn't be the first time the threat of a nuclear test has loomed over a presidential visit: North Korea was preparing for a test in 2014 when President Barack Obama visited South Korea.
And in 2016, North Korea conducted a nuclear test shortly after Obama and other world leaders left Asia after a summit.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that the White House is not concerned about the president's trip to East Asia later this month.
"I would say that we certainly always assess security as we do with any of the president's trips, but that hasn't been a concern as far as his trip is coming up in a few weeks," Psaki said.
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He added: "There is no doubt that North Korea will be on the agenda when visiting South Korea and Japan."
North Korea nuclear tests
Last month, CNN reported that satellite images showed that North Korea was re-tunneling its remote underground nuclear test site to potentially shorten the time it needed to conduct its next test.
North Korea has conducted six previous nuclear tests at the site, which is north of Pyongyang, the last in September 2017. In addition to its preparations for a possible nuclear test, North Korea has conducted repeated ballistic missile tests this year. , the last of which occurred on Wednesday.
Based on satellite imagery, the cross tunnel at the test site intersects with one of the main tunnels beyond the entrance, meaning there is a shorter distance to the underground launch area.
In 2018, North Korea blew up the tunnel's original entrance, but probably didn't destroy the entire underground structure.
Concern at the Pentagon
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday that the Pentagon was "very deeply concerned" about North Korea's missile tests, adding that the United States and the international community have condemned the provocations.
"Frankly, there's never a good time for North Korea to do this type of testing," Kirby said.
"We continue to ask the North to stop these provocative tests and to be willing to sit down, as we have offered, we would be willing to do without preconditions, and to discuss a diplomatic path to denuclearize the North."
Kirby told reporters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a phone call Thursday with South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook to discuss the security environment on the Korean peninsula.
Last month, Kim vowed to accelerate the development of nuclear weapons in his country, saying during a military parade that Pyongyang would "strengthen and develop" its nuclear forces at the "fastest possible speed."
Wednesday's missile test was North Korea's 13th this year, compared to eight in 2021 and four in 2020. This year's tests included the launch of an ICBM in March, the first time it Pyongyang launches that type of missile in four years.
CNN's Jeremy Herb, Kevin Liptak, Zachary Cohen, Sam Fossum and Arlette Saenz contributed to this report.
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