The Defense Ministry on Monday played down the possibility of an imminent nuclear test by North Korea following a report that Seoul detected some movement of personnel and vehicles around the southern part of the communist state’s Punggye-ri test site.

Earlier in the day, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae said there were signs that Pyongyang might be preparing for a fourth nuclear test. “What I can comment on is that there are some signs,” he said in response to a lawmaker’s question during a parliamentary session.

But the Defense Ministry said there were not yet any unusual movements at the test site in the country’s northeast, saying Pyongyang had continued to be ready for another atomic test from a “technological standpoint.”

It stressed whether Pyongyang pushed for a fourth test hinged not on technical conditions, but “political” calculations. The third test was carried out on Feb. 12, apparently in the western part of the test site.

Analysts forecast the North would continue to carry out additional tests to refine its nuclear technology including that related to warhead miniaturization and to show off what it calls “nuclear deterrence”

Pyongyang has also been seen preparing for another missile launch that would further ratchet up military tension on the peninsula.

It has moved two intermediate-range ballistic missiles on mobile launchers to its east coast. Kim Jang-soo, who heads the presidential office of national security, warned Pyongyang could set off provocations before or after Wednesday as it said the safety of foreign diplomats in its country could not be guaranteed after that day.

Analysts said the North could launch missiles around the “Day of Sun,” the birthday of its late national founder Kim Il-sung on April 15. Some observers said Pyongyang might seek a way out of the current diplomatic stalemate following a missile launch.

Amid talk of another North Korean missile launch, Japan has reportedly sent two Aegis-equipped destroyers carrying the Standard Missile-3 that can intercept incoming short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

According to Japanese media reports, Tokyo has issued an “order to destroy” hostile missiles to its troops. It is the fourth time Japan has made such an order.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said during a press conference, “In cooperation with the U.S. and South Korea, we focus on collecting and analyzing intelligence (regarding North Korea), and thoroughly prepare ourselves to protect the life and safety of our citizens under any circumstances.”

Suga, however, refused to elaborate on the Self-Defense Forces’ plan regarding a possible North Korean provocation in an apparent effort not to deepen public security concerns.

In response to the North’s missile threat, the U.S. will also deploy a land-based “terminal high-altitude area defense system” to Guam in the coming weeks as a precautionary move to counter a possible attack.

In an interview with the Associated Press on Sunday, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said that he did not foresee North Korea taking military action soon, but he stressed, “I can’t take the chance that it won’t.”

Dempsey said Washington had been preparing for further provocations or action, “considering the risk that they may choose to do something” on one of two nationally important anniversaries in April ― the birth of the North Korean founder and the creation of the North Korean army.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)