North Korea said Saturday that it will dismantle its nuclear test site on May 23-25, in a dramatic event that would set up leader Kim Jong Un's summit with President Donald Trump next month.
Kim had revealed plans to shut down the country's northeastern testing ground by the end of May during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. Analysts say the closure of the site is mostly symbolic and doesn't represent a material step toward denuclearisation.
In a statement carried by state media, North Korea's Foreign Ministry said that all of the tunnels at the site will be destroyed by explosion, and that observation and research facilities and ground-based guard units will also be removed.
The North plans to invite journalists from the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Britain to inspect the process, the statement said.
Following the Moon-Kim summit, Moon's office said Kim was willing to disclose the process to international experts, but the North's statement Saturday didn't include any mention about allowing experts on the site.
The North's announcement comes days after Washington announced that the historic summit between Kim and Trump will be held June 12 in Singapore.
SHARE ME