Seoul’s Defense Ministry says North Korea could follow its sixth nuclear test with an intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) launch.

The ministry delivered its projection on the North’s next move during a hearing at the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee on Monday. The ministry explained that it is detecting various moves by the North that indicate preparations for an ICBM launch.  

The ministry said the North may conduct a long-range missile test to back its claim that it has secured a means of dropping a nuclear weapon onto the U.S.

In the aftermath of its nuclear test on Sunday, Pyongyang claimed it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted onto an ICBM.

Some observers suspect the North may even launch an ICBM at a normal trajectory, rather than at a steep angle, to prove that the U.S. mainland is within its striking range.

Meanwhile, the ministry said so far, it has not detected any moves by the North aimed at staging provocations at the inter-Korean border. 

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