South Korea defense ministry says North's nuke test site boosts activityApril 22, 2014 - 10:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Activity has increased at North Korea's nuclear test site, South Korea says, ahead of a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to the region, according to BBC News. The military was "currently detecting a lot of activity in and around the Punggye-ri nuclear test site", a South Korean defense ministry spokesman said. North Korea could be planning to hold a "surprise nuclear test or just pretend to stage a nuclear test", he said. North Korea has carried out three nuclear tests in the past. Its most recent test was in February 2013 - an incident that triggered several months of severe tension on the Korean peninsula. It also carried out tests in 2006 and 2009. All of the tests - which were signposted well in advance - resulted in the imposition of UN sanctions on Pyongyang. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Monday, April 21 set up a special task force to monitor the situation, the spokesman said. Multinational talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions have been stalled for years. Late last month, North Korea threatened to carry out a "new form" of nuclear test. It is not clear what that means. While Pyongyang has tested devices, it is not yet believed to have mastered the process of making a nuclear warhead small enough to deliver via a missile. Obama is due to arrive in South Korea on Friday, after a three-day visit to Japan. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |