S Korea vows strong response to N Korea new nuke test

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak on Monday vowed a strong response to any provocations by North Korea amid concerns the communist state may soon carry out a new nuclear test.

"There will be a strong response that does not tolerate any provocations by North Korea," Lee told a meeting of advisors on unification, according to his spokesman.

He urged Pyongyang's new leadership to focus on improving the lives of its hunger-stricken people.

The North has threatened "sacred war" against Seoul in retaliation for perceived insults during Pyongyang's commemoration in April of the centenary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il-Sung.

Concern is also growing that the communist regime could stage its third nuclear test following a failed rocket launch on April 13 that sparked international criticism.

South Korea's Chosun newspaper reported Monday that the North may conduct a nuclear test in early to mid-May.

"Preparations appeared to have been completed and all it needs to do is to push the button," an unnamed government official was quoted as saying.

New satellite images show more work under way at the North's nuclear test site, a US-based specialist website reported Saturday.

The 38 North website carried satellite photos of the Punggye-ri site near the east coast, saying they seem to indicate that "the North Koreans are proceeding as if the test go-ahead decision has already been made."

But the imagery does not give any indication of when that detonation may take place, said the website, a project of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

It said the pictures taken by a private company on April 18 are the latest in a series showing continuing preparations for a test.

The latest imagery shows a train of mining carts on top of soil piles and random unidentified structures or objects on or near the piles, 38 North said.

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