North Korea Nuclear Test Appears Likely, Satellite Images Show

The U.S. monitoring agency 38 North said satellite images show there has been increased activity at one of North Korea's mountain nuclear site, NBC News reported.

"Commercial satellite imagery of North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site from April 12 shows continued activity around the North Portal, new activity in the Main Administrative Area, and a few personnel around the site’s Command Center," 38 North said on its website.

"At the North Portal, what appears to be a small vehicle or trailer is located immediately outside the entrance; the water flow out of the portal has diminished in the past 10 days; and what may be a small trailer is visible on the road south of the portal. The netting — suspended over probable equipment — south of the portal's support building remains in place, and there has been no significant dumping of additional material on the portal's spoil pile," the website added.

NBC News reported that the North Korea regime is preparing to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the birth of its founder Kim Il Sung this weekend, and the event has previously included missile tests.

At the same time, according to The New York Times, Trump has sent the Carl Vinson and several other warships toward the Korean Peninsula in a show of force intended to deter the North from testing a sixth nuclear weapon or launching missiles.

The Global Times, a newspaper that sometimes reflects the thoughts of China's leadership, published an editorial saying that the country would support stronger United Nation sanctions against North Korea if the country moved ahead with nuclear testing, reported the Times.

The Global Times said North Korea should avoid a "head-on collision" with Trump. It warned that if North Korea made a mistake, "it may be difficult to have another chance to correct its strategy."

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