by Joseph Yun Li-sun

Intelligence sources in Seoul, Tokyo and Washington report that the entrance to a test tunnel at the Punggye-ri site has been covered with a lead screen in order to hide the effects of testing. Meanwhile, ordinary North Koreans are at the end of their tether.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - Despite the country's chronic food shortages, North Korea continues to invest resources, human and material, to develop its nuclear programme. South Korea is reporting that North Korea's young dictator, Kim Jong-un, has ordered the installation of a lead screen over the entrance to one of the test tunnels at its nuclear test site in order to inhibit satellite monitoring.

The test site at Punggye-ri, its three test tunnels and surrounding buildings are under constant intelligence surveillance by the United States, South Korea and Japan since Pyongyang accelerated its nuclear testing more than a week ago.

"Analysis showed a camouflage net looking like a roof was placed on the tunnel entrance," said a South Korean source quoted by the Yonhap news agency. "The move seems to be aimed at keeping nuclear test preparations near their completion from being exposed outside."

North Korea has warned that in response to new UN sanctions it would carry out a third nuclear test.

In fact, following Pyongyang's last long-range rocket launch, the UN Security Council in December adopted by a unanimous vote a resolution imposing new restrictions on the Communist nation. This set off alarm bells in the North because both China and Russia backed the resolution.

Without the support of China, its only trading and diplomatic partner, North Korea could collapse. Some reports estimate that the money Pyongyang spent on its last nuclear test could have fed millions over several months.

• north
• korea
• nuclear
• test
• punggye-ri
• surveillance
• satellite