Trailer movement seen at N. Korea's nuke test site: satellite photo

SEOUL, April 22 (Yonhap) -- Some movement of what appear to be trailers have been detected at North Korea's nuclear test site in its northeastern mountainous area, a U.S. research monitoring website said Saturday.

Commercial satellite imagery taken on April 19 showed signs of a few mining carts along the tracks leading to the spoil pile and a small equipment trailer near the North Portal, the tunnel that Pyongyang has apparently been preparing for a nuclear test in the Punggye-ri region, according to the 38 North website.

The analysts from the monitoring site said a net canopy, which is presumed to have been placed to conceal the equipment, remains intact, while the pumping of water out of the tunnel, which is necessary to keep the environmental surroundings at an optimal level for carrying out a test, seems to have stopped.

The website commented that while it's not clear whether the noted activity is "a tactical pause" before another nuclear test, the imagery continues to indicate the test site "appears able to conduct a sixth nuclear test at any time once the order is received from Pyongyang."

Referring to its latest satellite image taken on April 16, which captured some North Korean workers playing volleyball at the site, it said while no such games were observed this time, the outline of the court in the courtyard was still visible.

It also mentioned that there were signs of several unidentified objects and activities in the area, although there was not enough resolution in the images to determine what they were.

"Some may be supplies or equipment with tarps or netting draped over them," it said.

No significant activity was detected at the West Portal and South Portal, or at the Command Center Area, it added.

elly@yna.co.kr
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