(LEAD) China urges restraint as N. Korea boosts activity at nuclear test site
2014/04/22 16:45
BEIJING, April 22 (Yonhap) -- China called for calm and restraint on Tuesday after South Korea warned of a potential "surprise nuclear test" by North Korea while citing signs of activity observed at North Korea's nuclear test site.
"We call on all relevant parties to keep calm and exercise restraint under current circumstances," China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said, when asked about potential signs of what would be the North's fourth nuclear test.
Qin also urged "all relevant parties" to "stick to the goal of realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and stay committed to resolving relevant issues through dialogue and consultation."
North Korea, which threatened to conduct a "new form" of nuclear test late last month, has carried out three nuclear tests since 2006 at the Punggye-ri site in the country's northeastern region.
In Seoul, South Korea's defense ministry said earlier in the day it has detected "a lot of activity" at the Punggye-ri site and launched a task force to deal with the North's possible nuclear test.
"North Korea reached a level where it can conduct a surprise nuclear test in a short period of time," Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters.
However, there is a possibility that such activity may be a bluff ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to South Korea on Friday as part of his Asia tour, Kim said.
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