S. Korea: No Evidence of North Nuke Test

South Koreans walk by displays of North Korea's Scud-B missile at Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 18, 2006. South Korea said Friday it was maintaining regular monitoring of North Korea, but declined to confirm a report citing alleged evidence of the communist nation's preparations for an underground nuclear test. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man) (Lee Jin-man - AP)

North Korea claims to have nuclear weapons but has not conducted any known test that would confirm that assertion. A June report from the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security said the North had enough radioactive material to build between four and 13 bombs.

U.S. officials said in May 2005 that they detected possible signs of a nuclear test, citing construction of a tunnel and a reviewing stand, but nothing more happened at that time.

The North test-fired seven missiles last month over international objections, drawing U.N. Security Council sanctions. No progress has been made since then on the impasse, and the North has refused to return to international talks on its nuclear programs that have been stalled since November.

A researcher with links to the South Korean intelligence community said Friday that "caution is needed" when dealing with observations of activity inside North Korea because their intentions are often unclear, declining to comment directly on the latest report.

He said it was too early to say whether a test was imminent from a single piece of information, noting that equipment to measure radioactivity and seismic activity, as well as excavators, would have to be in place for a nuclear test.

Also, people would have to be evacuated from near the possible test site, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his position.

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Associated Press reporter Kwang-tae Kim contributed to this report.