Anchor: Seoul's intelligence authorities believe that Pyongyang is ready to carry out a nuclear test and is in the process of verifying core technologies for its intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the mainland U.S. While seeking to up the ante with U.S. nuclear negotiations stalled, the North is also making preliminary preparations for a possible meeting between leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the main spy agency in the South.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: The South Korean defense ministry’s intelligence agency believes North Korea can carry out its seventh nuclear test on short notice if Kim Jong-un gives the orderr 

According to Democratic Party Rep. Park Sun-won Wednesday, the Defense Intelligence Agency told the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee that the North could push ahead with another underground detonation in the third tunnel at the Punggyeri nuclear test site.

The agency told lawmakers that the North has secured intercontinental ballistic missiles with a strike range of more than 13-thousand kilometers.

While putting the mainland U.S. in the target range, the North is in the process of verifying core technology needed to fire the weapons at regular launch angles, according to the agency.

Pyongyang also appears open to resuming stalled negotiations with the U.S., according to South Korean intelligence authorities. 

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers Tuesday night that it had detected North Koreans preparing for a possible summit between Trump and Kim during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit in the South last week. 

Though such a meeting did not take place, the state intelligence agency told lawmakers that Pyongyang had gathered information on the working-level U.S. officials in charge of North Korean issues in the lead-up to Trump's visit to South Korea.   

The NIS also noted subtle shifts in North Korea’s rhetoric, saying the regime has toned down direct references to nuclear armament after Kim hinted at conditional dialogue during a recent Supreme People’s Assembly session.

In his September speech, Kim said he had fond memories of Trump and suggested he was open to resuming talks, provided the U.S. abandon its goal of denuclearizing North Korea. 

Regarding the timing of a future meeting between Trump and Kim, the NIS predicted that March will be a watershed moment following Seoul and Washington's joint military exercise in the South.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.