CGTN witnesses destruction of DPRK's nuclear site

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03:15

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday claimed it had completed the demolition of its nuclear test site, where it conducted all six underground nuclear tests.

CGTN reporter Han Peng along with foreign journalists from the US, the UK, Russia and the Republic of Korea witnessed the process earlier near the Punggye-ri facility.

01:01

A look at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site that the DPRK is to destroy

CGTN Photo

Reporters first hiked up into the mountains to reach the site. They were allowed to watch and film outside tunnel 2 and 3 before the detonation.

But we were not allowed to get in, Han Peng said, citing concerns of nuclear leakage.

The facility was destroyed at 16:20 local time (07:20 GMT), and all reporters watched it from about 500 meters away. Video footage showed a series of explosions being donated and tunnel entrances collapsing.

CGTN Photo

After a series of explosions, an official at the scene told reporters the process was completed and very successful.

But Pyongyang did not invite any independent observers. The process was not immediately verifiable without the presence of a nuclear expert at the test site.