Seoul: Days ahead of US Vice President Kamala Harris's visit, South Korea's military has received signals that North Korea is preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), news agency Yonhap reported on Saturday.

According to a South Korean military source, who asked to remain anonymous and was quoted by Yonhap, the military discovered the preparation this week in Sinpo, North Korea's South Hamgyong province. This is in line with a report released this week by a US-based think tank that used commercial satellite imagery.

South Korea's presidential office said in a statement on Saturday that President Yoon Suk-yol is aware of signs and actions that may point to North Korean provocation, including SLBMs.
Next week, US Vice President Harris will visit the region and meet with the presidents of South Korea and Japan.

Although he had no predictions or announcements to make, a senior US administration official said at a briefing Friday that a nuclear test or other provocation was possible during Harris's visit to the area.

For the first time in nearly four years, a US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday, joining other military ships to take part in joint exercises with South Korean forces.

Past US military deployments and joint exercises have been condemned as evidence of war preparedness by North Korea and hostilities by Washington and Seoul.

This country gave open permission to its army to use nuclear weapons

If Putin used nuclear weapons in Ukraine, what might happen?

French foreign minister has urged Iran to accept the nuclear deal