North Korea demolishes nuclear test site with series of blasts as invited foreign journalists watch on

Demolition: Satellite image shows North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test facility
REUTERS
Chloe Chaplain24 May 2018

North Korea said it has demolished is nuclear test site after setting off a series of explosions over several hours in the presence of foreign journalists.

The explosions at the site deep in the mountains of the country’s sparsely populated northeast surrounded three tunnels underground and a number of buildings in the surrounding area.

The demolition has been announced by leader Kim Jong Un ahead of his planned summit with US President Donald Trump, which is scheduled to take place next month.

But it came amid further tensions with Washington after North Korea called Vice President Mike Pence a "political dummy" and saying it is just as ready to meet in a nuclear confrontation as at the negotiating table.

People watch a TV screen showing a satellite image of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site
AP

The North's decision to close the Punggye-ri nuclear test site has generally been seen as a welcome gesture by Kim to set a positive tone ahead of the summit.

By inviting a small group of television journalists and other members of the news media, the North is likely hoping to have dramatic images of the closing - including explosions to collapse tunnel entrances - broadcast around the world.

VP: Mike Pence pictured at the Pyeongchang games, has been criticised by the North 
REUTERS

The North did not invite international nuclear weapons inspectors to the ceremony.

The first blast visiting journalists witnessed happened at around 1am local time which, according to North Korean officials, collapsed the north tunnel used for five nuclear tests between 2009 and last year.

South Korean journalists arrive at Kalma airport in Wonsan on their way to the nuclear testing site at Punggye-ri
REUTERS

Two other explosions at around 2:20 pm and 4 pm demolished the west and south tunnels, according to officials.

Thursday's demolition also involved the destruction of observation posts and barracks used by guards and other workers at the facility.

The journalists who were allowed to witness the demolition arrived in the morning after an 11-hour overnight train from Wonsan and stayed at the site for around nine hours.

The outburst at Mr Pence comes on the heels of another sharp rebuke of Mr Trump's newly appointed national security adviser, John Bolton, and has raised concerns that a major gap has opened between the two sides just weeks before the June 12 summit in Singapore.

The summit plan has hit a number of speed bumps recently as both sides have begun trading barbs and taking tougher positions.

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