North Korea appears poised to conduct new missile or rockets tests after satellite imagery showed renewed activity at a missile factory and a known launch site.

Experts at California's Middlebury Institute of International Studies say that satellite images of the Sanumdong rocket factory taken on February 22 and other images from last Friday suggested North Korea could be preparing to launch a missile or a space rocket.

The threat of renewed tests emerged amid reports of minor acts of defiance against the North Korean regime ahead of sham elections today [SUN] for deputies for all 687 seats in the Supreme People’s Assembly.

The vote is for the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly and delegates will serve five-year terms. Each constituency has a single candidate who has been approved by the Workers’ Party of Korea. There are no opposition candidates.

The acts of defiance, including sporadic outbreaks of graffiti critical of the government in the city of Chongjin and other locations in North Hamgyong Province, emerged as rumours of the failed Hanoi summit with Donald Trump filtered into the country.