Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL (Reuters). – South Korea’s Presidential Office believes North Korea may test an intercontinental missile (ICBM), as early as Monday according to local media, citing unnamed sources.

Tensions between the Korean peninsula and China have been growing amid increasing signs that Pyongyang might soon follow through on its threat to test ICBMs once again. This would be in violation of a 2017 ceasefire.

Moon Jaein’s outgoing office informed Yoon Suk-yeol, President-elect, that a test launch is possible and it wouldn’t be surprising if it happened on Monday.

According to the report, Suh Hoon Moon, Moon’s national defense advisor briefed Yoon Saturday on various security and foreign policy issues.

Suh stated that the “It’s so imminent that they would fire it on Monday” in the report. “We take the situation very seriously.”

Moon’s spokesperson said that Suh briefed Yoon about North Korea’s latest movements including missile launches and the Ukraine crisis. However, he declined to discuss the Chosun Ilbo report.

Kim Eun-hye, Yoon’s spokesperson, told Reuters that there may be several closed-door briefings to the president-elect. However, he did not provide details about security concerns.

South Korea and the United States made a joint announcement Friday, stating that North Korea had used their largest ICBM ever in its recent satellite launches.

This missile system (also known as Hwasong-17) was first unveiled in Pyongyang at a military parade, in 2020. It then reappeared in October 2021 at a defense exhibition.

Yoon, elected president last Wednesday, has signaled a harder line against Pyongyang. Although he is still open to restarting denuclearization talks that have been stalled, Yoon has stated that preemptive strikes could be required to prevent a North Korean missile attack. He also pledged to acquire additional U.S.-made THAAD missile interceptors.

Yoon warned that there would be “further pressure” from the international community if North Korea launches an ICBM in the name of a satellite-launch.

He did not make any further comments on Sunday.