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U.S. braces for North Korean weapons test

STORY: The U.S. on Wednesday warned that North Korea could be gearing up for a missile or nuclear test ahead of President Joe Biden’s trip to Asia this week.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. is taking precautions.

“And we are prepared, obviously, to make both short and longer term adjustments to our military posture as necessary to ensure that we are providing both defense and deterrence to our allies in the region and that we're responding to any North Korean provocation."

This is Biden’s first trip to the region as U.S. president.

His main focus is to bring Asian allies together to help counter China’s influence in the region.

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But North Korea’s plans threaten to overshadow the visit.

Pyongyang hasn’t tested a nuclear bomb in five years.

And South Korea’s National Security Advisor on Thursday downplayed the possibility.

However, Seoul did warn that a missile test was “imminent.”

Biden had been considering a visit to the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that borders North Korea.

But the White House said that visit is now off the table.

Since coming into office, Biden has kept the door to diplomacy with North Korea open

But he has said that Pyongyang needs to take steps to dismantle its nuclear weapons program before the U.S. eases up on sanctions.

Biden leaves for Asia on Thursday.