(3.1.2015) In its report, the South‘s Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Defense Command said the North has already laid the groundwork to develop thermonuclear weapons and may already be producing tritium, a radioactive isotope necessary to build more sophisticated nuclear weapons.

„We can‘t discount the possibility that the North‘s excavation of a new tunnel at its Punggye-ri test site could be designed for thermonuclear weapons tests,“ said the command, under the direct control of the Defense Ministry. „Considering its research of nuclear technology, its history of underground and projectile tests, and elapsed time since its nuclear development, North Korea has the foundation for thermonuclear weapons.“