{"id":54235,"date":"2018-05-13T15:22:24","date_gmt":"2018-05-13T15:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/13\/trump-welcomes-north-korea-plan-to-blow-up-nuke-test-site-tunnels\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:53:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:53:46","slug":"trump-welcomes-north-korea-plan-to-blow-up-nuke-test-site-tunnels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/05\/13\/trump-welcomes-north-korea-plan-to-blow-up-nuke-test-site-tunnels\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump welcomes North Korea plan to blow up nuke test site tunnels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 North Korea said Saturday that it will dismantle its nuclear test site in less than two weeks, in a dramatic event that would set up leader Kim Jong Un\u2019s summit with President Donald Trump<\/a> next month. Trump welcomed the \u201cgracious gesture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement carried by state media, North Korea\u2019s Foreign Ministry said all of the tunnels at the country\u2019s northeastern testing ground will be destroyed by explosion, and observation and research facilities and ground-based guard units will also be removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim had already revealed plans to shut the test site by the end of May during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. Analysts say that while the closure of the site is important, it doesn\u2019t represent a material step toward full denuclearization<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA ceremony for dismantling the nuclear test ground is now scheduled between May 23 and 25,\u201d depending on weather, the Foreign Ministry\u2019s statement said, adding that journalists from the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Britain will be invited to witness the dismantling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry said the North will continue to \u201cpromote close contacts and dialogue with the neighboring countries and the international society so as to safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and over the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This satellite image released and notated by Airbus Defense & Space and 38 North on March 30, 2018, shows the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in North Korea. North Korea said Saturday, May 12, 2018, that it will dismantle its nuclear test site between May 23 and 25, in a dramatic event that would set up leader Kim Jong Un’s summit with President Donald Trump next month. (Airbus Defense and Space\/38 North via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Trump, in a tweet Saturday, thanked North Korea for its plan to dismantle the nuclear test site, calling it \u201ca very smart and gracious gesture!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the Moon-Kim meeting, Moon\u2019s office said Kim was willing to disclose the process to international experts, but the North\u2019s statement Saturday didn\u2019t address allowing experts on the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Korea had no immediate response to the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The North\u2019s announcement comes days after Washington announced that the historic summit between Kim and Trump will be held June 12 in Singapore<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Korea has said Kim has genuine interest in dealing away his nuclear weapons in return for economic benefits. However, there are lingering doubts about whether Kim would ever agree to fully relinquish the weapons he probably views as his only guarantee of survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During their meeting at a border truce village, Moon and Kim vaguely promised to work toward the \u201ccomplete denuclearization\u201d of the Korean Peninsula, but made no references to verification or timetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Korea for decades has been pushing a concept of \u201cdenuclearization\u201d that bears no resemblance to the American definition. The North has been vowing to pursue nuclear development unless Washington removes its 28,500 troops from South Korea and the nuclear umbrella defending South Korea and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\t