North Korea’s military has been spotted moving missiles from a government rocket facility in Pyongyang to an undisclosed location amid reports the country may be gearing up for another missile test, according to a new report.
Reuters reported late on Friday that South Korea’s Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) spotted the weapons’ movement late Friday, but didn’t say where the missiles had been moved.
{mosads}According to the report, South Korean officials fear North Korea could attempt another missile test around Oct. 10, the anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s ruling Communist Party.
The Trump administration said Saturday that it has about “three” open lines of communication with the hermit kingdom, despite no formal diplomatic ties.
“We ask, ‘Would you like to talk?’ We have lines of communications to Pyongyang — we’re not in a dark situation, a blackout. We have a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, according to the New York Times.
President Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea during his first speech to the United Nations last week, warning the country that the U.S. would defend itself and its allies.
North Korea conducted its sixth test of an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) just weeks ago, firing a rocket that flew over neighboring Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean.
The report states that the weapons moved from the Pyongyang facility were either intermediate range Hwasong-12 missiles or the Hwasong-14 ICBM missiles.
The latest launch prompted sirens in Japan and an advisory from the government for residents to seek shelter.