​Military authorities have launched a crisis management task force meant to respond to threats from North Korea amid speculation that a nuclear test could be soon coming.

According to multiple military sources on Tuesday, the military began operating the task force led by the defense ministry's North Korea policy officer from Monday.

The emergency team includes key officials from the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and will take up the role of devising rapid reactions to the North’s missile and nuclear tests.

Military and intelligence authorities have publicly speculated that North Korea is highly likely to conduct a seventh nuclear test in the near future. The last nuclear test took place in September 2017.

Last week, North Korea fired a ballistic missile, believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, as well as a submarine-launched ballistic missile from an underwater submarine. State media, however, did not report on either test.