North Korea camouflages nuclear test site

North Korea has covered the entrance to a tunnel at its nuclear test site in an apparent effort to avoid satellite monitoring ahead of a widely expected detonation, a report said on Friday.

The Punggye-ri site, which has three tunnel entrances and multiple support buildings, has been closely monitored by US, South Korean and Japanese intelligence since North Korea ramped up its test threats just over a week ago.

“Analysis showed a camouflage net looking like a roof was placed on the tunnel entrance,” Yonhap News Agency cited a senior South Korean government source as saying.

“The move seems to be aimed at keeping nuclear test preparations – now near their completion – from being exposed outside,” the source said.

North Korea has threatened to carry out its third nuclear test in response to UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang for a long-range rocket launch it carried out in December.

The North said the launch was a scientific mission aimed at placing a satellite in orbit, but most of the world saw it as a disguised ballistic missile test.