South Korea President said that the North could detonate multiple devices when it will go ahead with a nuclear test expected in the coming weeks or even days.

South Korea President said that the North could detonate multiple devices when it will go ahead with a nuclear test expected in the coming weeks or even days.

In an interview published Tuesday in the Chosun Ilbo daily, the outgoing president also acknowledged the huge challenge the international community faces in seeking to wean Pyongyang off its nuclear weapons program.
Pyongyang has signaled that it will carry out a "higher level" nuclear test very soon, in response to UN sanctions imposed after its successful long-range rocket launch in December.

Lee said "higher-level" suggested Pyongyang might attempt to detonate several devices.
"North Korea is likely to carry out multiple nuclear tests at two places or more simultaneously" in order to maximize scientific gains from an event that will be globally condemned, Lee said.

"If the North produces miniaturized weapons that can be used as warheads on missiles, it would really pose a threat," Lee said. "That's why the whole world is watching it so intensively."

Lee has only a few weeks left in office at the end of a five-year term marked by an almost total freeze of contacts between North and South Korea.