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Regarding the trend of North Korea's preparations for the 7th nuclear test today (25th), the presidential office said, "It is being detected that a nuclear detonator is being tested in preparation for the 7th nuclear test at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and other places." I did.



Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, said at a briefing at the Yongsan government building this afternoon, "We are monitoring the trend of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. The possibility that a nuclear test will occur within a day or two is small, but I think there is a sufficiently high possibility after that."



Regarding the prospect of the timing of the nuclear test, Deputy Director Kim said, "Perhaps the North Korean leader did not make a decision on his own."



An analysis by the security office said that North Korea test-fired one intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) in sequence from 6 am to 6:42 am today.



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It is said that the first launch was judged to be the new ICBM 'Hwasong-17', and before the second launch, it was decided to convene the NSC directly presided over by President Yoon Seok-yeol.



Then, at 6:03 a.m., three minutes after the missile launch, Director Kwon Young-ho, the head of the Crisis Management Center of the Security Office, called and reported to President Yoon by phone, and about 10 minutes later, Kim Seong-han, director of the Security Office, also called President Yoon to go to work early.



The NSC presided over by President Yoon started at 7:35 am.



"I saw that the two SRBMs that came out after the NSC opened also meant to improve the ability to deliver nuclear weapons," said Deputy Director Kim.



Since yesterday, the Security Office has reported that North Korea's ICBM test launch is imminent, and has issued a waiting order to the ministers of related ministries, saying, "Even if you have dinner, refrain from eating alcoholic beverages."



Deputy Director Kim said, "I thought it might be an intention to intervene in the imminent domestic political schedule of the Republic of Korea."



He added, "The fact that US President Joe Biden, who is on his way home from his trip to Korea and Japan, started provocation similar to the time he entered his own airspace, is a strategic message to the South Korea and the United States together."



South Korea and the United States have launched a combined response.





In addition, a video of 30 F-15 fighters scrambled for 'alifund walking' was also released.



Separately, the U.S. military also launched A-Takims surface-to-surface missiles.



Diplomatically, Foreign Minister Park Jin spoke with US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln and National Security Chief Kim Seong-han spoke with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, respectively, to discuss ways to cooperate.



(Photo = Yonhap News)