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South Korean Foreign Minister says the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has stepped up activity at its main nuclear test site, possibly preparing to carry out a fourth underground blast. 

Yun Byung-se said on Thursday that his government has observed several nuclear-related activities in and around the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. On the same day, the spokesman of the South Korean defense¹ ministry², Kim Min-Seok, said the DPRK is likely to launch a missile before or after the nuclear test. He also stressed that the DPRK’s nuclear weapons programme was at a stage where it could conduct a test "at any time". 

South Korean media speculated that the test could be conducted on Friday, which marks the founding of the DPRK’s military. It’s also the day US President Barack Obama is visiting South Korea, and the last day of a joint³ US-South Korean military exercise. While some media said the DPRK could carry out the test after Obama’s visit, in order to avoid further complications.