N. Korea preparing for another nuclear weapons test: Seoul spy agency

October 20, 2015
This satellite image provided by Space Imaging Asia shows the Yongbyon Nuclear Center, located north of Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Space Imaging Asia)

This satellite image provided by Space Imaging Asia shows the Yongbyon Nuclear Center, located north of Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Space Imaging Asia)

By Brian Han

North Korea doesn’t seem to care what other countries think about its nuclear weapons program whether that’s disapproval coming from the U.S. or one of its few allies like China.

According to a Seoul governmental spy agency, the communist country is making preparations to start a new round of nuclear tests although the details have not yet gone public.

The National Intelligence Service arrived at the conclusion after collecting data from North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear facilities officials told Yonhap.

The timing lines up considering that just last month North Korea publicly stated that it had completed upgrades and resumed function of atomic fuel plants.

The country’s previous nuclear tests occurred in 2006, 2009 and 2013, which were all preceded by long-range rocket launches. After receiving outside pressure from the U.S., China and other world powers, North Korea did not go through with a launch during its 2015 military parade.