South Korea is reporting seeing stepped up activity at a suspected North Korean nuclear testing facility. An increase in truck traffic in and out of the site has been noted.
The vehicles have been seen in recent days at what is thought to be a nuclear testing site in the northeast of North Korea, Kyodo News agency reported, citing an unnamed government official.
It was unclear whether any nuclear tests by the North were imminent, but Japan is closely monitoring the situation, the official was quoted as saying.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Tokyo had boosted surveillance of the area and would continue to closely analyze intelligence, but said the government would not discuss specifics because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Defense officials also refused to confirm the Kyodo report.
American media reported last week that U.S. officials were monitoring potentially suspicious activity at a suspected underground nuclear site.
The report sent diplomats in the region scrambling to avert a possible test and get the North to return to multinational talks on its nuclear ambitions, which have stalled since November.
As has been speculated in comments previously, is this part of the reported "surprise" Iran has promised?
