An aura of mystery surrounds the sixth nuclear test that Kim Jong-un's regime is preparing in North Korea. The operation risks triggering the military reaction of the United States (which yesterday sent in the area a nuclear submarine) but some signs suggest it may not be forthcoming.
US officials believe that excavation under Mantapsan Mountain has resumed at Punggye-ri, where the test will take place. The news is positive regarding the timing, because usually before each test there are 30-40 days of blackout around the site.
Moreover, the news would have been leaked by the Pentagon and would therefore be an invitation from the White House to "ease tension", as suggested by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the last phone call between the two presidents.
However, North Korea staged a giant military exercise yesterday, proving that Kim Jong-un is indeed preparing for war. It is no coincidence that in recent hours Seoul has accelerated the deployment of the Thaad, the American anti-missile shield wanted by President Park Geun-hye (now deposed due to a corruption scandal) and contested by the left-wing opposition because it would only protect US bases but not the country.
Meanwhile, China is also making its preparations: Beijing has launched the new Type001A aircraft carrier, the new giant of the sea built to complement the Liaoning, which the Chinese had built on the basis of an old Russian model.
