North Korea is presumed to be continuing nuclear and missile activity even after its first summit with the United States in June, South Korea's spy agency was quoted as saying Wednesday.
The National Intelligence Service made the report during a closed-door meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee, according to participants. The report came as the North's denuclearization process has made little headway in recent weeks, with the planned high-level talks between the US and the North canceled at the last minute.
"Nuclear and missile-related activity is believed to be going on even after the North-US summit," a senior NIS official was quoted as saying during the meeting. "It is presumed that activities like nuclear development and nuclear warhead miniaturization are still going on."
(Yonhap)
The NIS also reported that the North is showing usual levels of activity at a missile base that came under international spotlight following allegations that it is one of the North's hidden, "undeclared" missile sites.
Beyond Parallel, a group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said earlier this week that the group has located 13 out of an estimated 20 missile operating bases undeclared by the secretive regime, including one in the North's Sakkanmol region.
Citing the report, The New York Times said the sites suggest a "great deception" by the North.
South Korea has rejected the allegations, saying it has been aware of the Sakkanmol base. US President Donald Trump also said the newspaper report is inaccurate, saying the US knows the base and that it's "nothing new."
The NIS said that there are normal activities at the Sakkanmol missile base.
"We are closely monitoring North Korea's other missile sites," the agency said. "Seoul and Washington are sharing information (about North Korea's missiles) and closely watching its nuclear and missile facilities and activities." (Yonhap)
