South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday that North Korea had completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test as speculation grows that it may conduct its first atomic blast since 2017.
Yoon made the remarks during a National Assembly speech — boycotted by the opposition for the first time ever — outlining his administration’s inaugural budget proposal. In his speech, he also slammed the North for a recent flurry of missile tests, which leader Kim Jong Un said were practice for pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the South in the event of an impending attack.
"Not only have they openly stated their intentions to pre-emptively use nuclear weapons, it appears they have already completed preparations for a seventh nuclear test,” Yoon was quoted as saying.