South Korean President Park Geun-hye speaks during a regular meeting with her top aides at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, April 18, 2016. President Park said Monday there are signs that North Korea is preparing a fifth nuclear bomb test amid reports of increased brisk activity at the country's main nuclear test site. (Baek Seung-ryul/Yonhap via AP) KOREA OUT (The Associated Press)
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's president says there are signs that North Korea is preparing a fifth nuclear test.
President Park Geun-hye said Monday that North Korea could carry out such a test to try to bolster its internal solidarity amid tough international sanctions imposed over the fourth atomic test and rocket launch conducted earlier this year.
Park didn't elaborate on what signs pointed to another nuclear test, but ordered the military to be ready to deal with any provocation by Pyongyang.
Speculation about a fifth nuclear test increased last month when the North's state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as ordering a test of a nuclear warhead.
Analysts say the atomic test could happen before the country holds a landmark ruling Communist Party congress in Pyongyang in early May.
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