DPRK 'dismantles' Punggye-ri nuclear test site

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00:41

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) says it has dismantled its Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

The site was "destroyed" at 16:20 local time (07:20 GMT), according to CGTN reporter Han Peng.

"There are four channels inside the nuke site," he said. "Three of them were dismantled by explosion, the fourth one was discarded a long time back, according to DPRK officials."

01:29

The dismantlement was witnessed by foreign journalists who had been invited by the DPRK government. They flew to the DPRK from Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday morning.

But the process was not immediately verifiable without the presence of a nuclear expert at the test site.

The explosions were centered on three underground tunnels and a number of observation towers in the surrounding area.

The DPRK said it will next remove all observation facilities and research institutes, withdraw guards and completely close the surrounding testing area.

A journalist talks to the media after arriving at the airport in Beijing to board a plane to the DPRK, May 22, 2018. /VCG Photo

The Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea made the decision last month that the country will discontinue its nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic rocket test-firing from April 21, according to an earlier report from the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Voice from DPRK

The DPRK has completely dismantled its Punggye-ri nuclear test ground "to ensure the transparency of discontinuance of nuclear tests," KCNA said on Thursday in its official announcement.

The process "completely closed the tunnel entrances," it said, adding that two tunnels there had been ready for use in "powerful underground nuclear tests."

A TV report airs at Seoul railway station, May 24, 2018. /VCG Photo‍

There was no leakage of radioactive material or adverse impact on the surrounding environment from the dismantling, the agency said.

"The discontinuance of the nuclear test is an important process moving towards global nuclear disarmament," KCNA said.

Voice from ROK

South Korea on Thursday welcomed DPRK's dismantling of its nuclear test site, calling it a meaningful first step towards complete denuclearization.

Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement that it hailed DPRK's dismantling of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, noting that it was "the first meaningful measure" taken to implement its willingness towards complete denuclearization, which was expressed in the inter-Korean summit.

The ministry said the South Korean government will support the upcoming DPRK-US summit scheduled for next month.

Punggye-ri nuclear test site

Located in the country's North Hamgyong Province which borders China, the Punggye-ri test site is where Pyongyang conducted all six nuclear tests.

The site is thought to be DPRK's main nuclear facility and the only active nuclear testing site in the world.

CGTN Photo

Demolition amid doubts over summit

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his meeting with DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un on nuclear issues "will absolutely happen."

A day earlier, Trump hinted that his scheduled meeting with Kim may be delayed.

China's top diplomat on Wednesday expressed hope for a successful meeting.

A TV report at Seoul railway station, May 24, 2018. /VCG Photo‍

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier on Wednesday the US is prepared to walk away from nuclear negotiations with the DPRK if the summit heads in the wrong direction.

A senior DRPK official also said remarks by the American vice president comparing the country to Libya were "ignorant and stupid."

(With inputs from agencies)