A South Korean expert on North Korea says Pyongyang is likely to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) ahead of its leader Kim Jong-un’s birthday on February 16th.

Cheong Seong-chang, senior research fellow at Sejong Institute's Department of Unification Strategy Studies, presented the assessment Wednesday during a forum in Seoul.

The researcher said that the North’s test launch will accelerate the Trump administration’s move to deploy a THAAD antimissile system on the Korean Peninsula, triggering China’s protest and deepening conflicts between the U.S. and North Korea, between the U.S. and China, and between South Korea and China.

Cheong pointed out that if Pyongyang pushes ahead with a test, the Trump administration is likely to impose a secondary boycott to increase pressure on China and North Korea.

He projected that Pyongyang is likely to conduct the test launch despite variables like pressure from China, U.S. response and political conditions in South Korea.

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