Russia has received indications that North Korea might be preparing to conduct new missile tests, a Russian Foreign Ministry source told Interfax today (see GSN, June 8).
"Information is coming to us that there are signs of preparations for the launch of missiles," the source said.
"We have not received any formal information about this from the North Korean side."
The source did not specify what type of missile North Korea might launch, Reuters reported. There have been recent reports that the North is prepared to test a long-range ballistic missile and multiple medium-range missiles. These would come in the wake of its recent undeground nuclear blast and flights of several short-range weapons (see related GSN story, today).
Pyongyang recently placed a temporary prohibitions on ships in select sectors of the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, suggesting the possibility of new missile launches, the source noted (Conor Sweeney, Reuters, June 9).