U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived Friday in Seoul, amid concern North Korea will soon conduct another provocative missile test.
Kerry will hold talks with South Korean officials, including President Park Geun-hye during his visit. He will also meet with U.S. military commanders based in the country.
His visit comes as speculation increased that North Korea is preparing to test a mid-range missile to demonstrate its ability to hit U.S. targets in the region.
A U.S. official in Seoul said there is no sign of an imminent launch of the North’s Musudan missile, which is believed to have a range of 3,500 kilometers and could threaten U.S. bases in Japan or Guam.
Some believe Pyongyang will coordinate the headline-grabbing missile test with Kerry’s arrival. Seoul has said it expects the test to occur in the run-up to Monday’s birthday celebration of North Korean founding leader Kim Il Sung.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials are downplaying a U.S. intelligence report disclosed Thursday that suggested Pyongyang has succeeded miniaturizing a nuclear weapon.
The analysis, disclosed by a congressman Thursday during a routine budget hearing, said Washington defense officials are moderately confident the North has nuclear weapons capable of delivery by ballistic missiles.
U.S. Defense Department spokesperson George Little said it would not be accurate to suggest the North has fully tested, developed, or demonstrated the nuclear capability mentioned in the assessment.
The U.S. director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said “North Korea has not yet demonstrated the full range of capabilities necessary for a nuclear armed missile.”
South Korea’s Defense Ministry also expressed skepticism about the claim. Spokesperson Kim Min-seok said there is still doubt whether the North has produced a small enough warhead to fit on a missile.
Washington and South Korea do not officially recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state.
The isolated state has carried out three nuclear tests. The latest, in February, used what Pyongyang said was a “smaller and lighter” device. In December, it also succeeded in using a long-range missile to place a satellite into orbit.
Both tests were seen as key steps toward North Korea’s stated goal of being able to strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear weapon. Pyongyang has repeatedly echoed these and other threats toward the U.S. and its allies in recent days.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday said it is time for North Korea to end its “belligerent approach.” The president said he prefers a diplomatic approach, but warned Washington will take “all necessary steps” to protect itself and its allies.
South Korea has said dialogue could help reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula. Seoul’s Unification Ministry on Thursday recommended talks with the North on the issue of a joint industrial complex that North Korea has threatened to close.
The Unification Ministry on Friday said Seoul has made progress toward achieving the dialogue. A spokesperson confirmed permission is under review for a private delegation to visit North Korea on the fate of the Kaesong industrial zone.
North Korea this week pulled its over 50,000 workers from the complex. It has also blocked South Korean access to the center, which lies just North of the demilitarized zone.
Kaesong serves as an important source of revenue for the impoverished North. Any decision to shut it down would signify that Pyongyang is willing to sacrifice economically for its latest dispute with the South.
The center has served as an important bellwether of Korean relations since its opening in 2003. It has never been shut down, even during times of heightened tensions between the two wartime foes.
