North Korea could be making preparations for a missile launch to test President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE, Reuters reports.

U.S. intelligence officials said that there are indications that Pyongyang could hold a launch in the coming days or weeks. The timing of such a missile test is unclear, but South Korean media has reported that a launch could be timed to Trump’s inauguration on Friday.

A missile launch could be more a test of how the Trump administration will handle such provocations from Pyongyang, a U.S. official who monitors North Korea told Reuters.

ADVERTISEMENT

"If they do something, it would more likely be a test of Trump than a test of a delivery system," the official said. "They probably want to see how he reacts to a provocation, even a minor one, and if they really want to poke him, they'll do it right away."

North Korea has become increasingly bold in touting its nuclear capabilities. The country’s leader Kim Jong Un announced earlier this month that the hermit kingdom was close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Trump responded to the announcement on Jan. 2, tweeting that the launch “won’t happen.”

“North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S.,” he tweeted. “It won't happen!”

But Reuters reports that experts on North Korea say the country’s claims about testing an ICBM appear credible. Pyongyang also conducted two nuclear tests in 2016, a significant increase over previous years. North Korea is under international sanctions related to its nuclear program since 2006.

The idea that North Korea could use a missile launch to test Trump isn’t unprecedented. Pyongyang conducted its second nuclear test ever in May 2009, just a few months after President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaThe Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Don't expect a government check anytime soon Trump appointees stymie recommendations to boost minority voting: report Obama's first presidential memoir, 'A Promised Land,' set for November release MORE assumed office. The country tested its third nuclear device in February 2013, shortly after Obama became his second term.