According to the KCNA news agency, North Korea is “taking technical measures” to demolish its nuclear test site and that foreign media would be invited to observe the ceremony.
Only journalists from South Korea, China, the US, Russia and the UK will be allowed to attend the ceremony for the demolition of the nuclear site, the North Korean Foreign Ministry reported.
“A ceremony for dismantling the nuclear test site is now scheduled between May 23 and 25, depending on weather conditions,” the KCNA said, citing a foreign ministry press release.
North Korea is now making all the technical preparations for the closure of the test site, the KCNA news agency reported.
The dismantling will involve collapsing all of its tunnels with explosives, blocking its entrances and transferring all observation facilities, research buildings and security posts.
Kim Jong-un revealed the plans to shut down the nuclear test site during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Yonhap agency noted.
The agency clarified, with reference to the office of the South Korean president, that the North Korean leader had promised to close the Punggye-ri test site in May.
North Korea announced that it was a nuclear power in 2005 and in 2009 withdrew from the six-party talks on denuclearization.
Pyongyang began carrying out nuclear and ballistic missile tests, which led to a series of sanctions targeting North Korea’s vital exports and imports and money transfers, imposed by the United Nations Security Council and a number of individual states.