North Korea dismantles nuclear test site ahead of US summit

Straits Times ^ | 2018-05-24

[TigerLikesRooster]

North Korea dismantles nuclear test site ahead of US summit

SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea has dismantled its nuclear test site, media invited to attend the ceremony said on Thursday (May 24), in a planned move portrayed by the isolated regime as a goodwill gesture ahead of a potential summit next month with the United States.

Pyongyang announced its plan to "completely" dismantle the Punggye-ri facility in the country's northeast, inviting some foreign journalists to witness the destruction.

“There was a huge explosion, you could feel it. Dust came at you, the heat came at you. It was extremely loud,” Mr Tom Cheshire, a journalist for Sky News who was among those invited to attend the ceremony, wrote on the British broadcaster’s website.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Fools.

[HighSierra5]

They still have nukes and missiles and the data for building more,so so what.

[TigerLikesRooster]

From Yonhap News:

(4th LD) N. Korea demolishes nuclear test site

2018/05/24 20:42

(ATTN: UPDATES with details; CLARIFIES tunnel names in paras 2-7)

PUNGGYE-RI, May 24 (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap) -- North Korea destroyed its only known nuclear test site with a series of explosions over several hours on Thursday, taking an initial step toward denuclearization, according to South Korean journalists visiting the area.

The North dynamited the North Portal, also referred to as Tunnel No. 2, at Punggye-ri, a northeastern remote area, at around 11 a.m., they said in a brief pool report delivered by phone.

Two other tunnels were destroyed at 2:17 p.m., followed by the explosion of barracks, observation towers and other facilities on the ground.

The blasts ended at 4:17 p.m., the journalists said without clarifying whether Tunnel No. 1, or the East Portal, was removed as well. Among the four tunnels in the zone, the East Portal was evidently abandoned earlier, according to 38 North, a U.S.-based website.

[TigerLikesRooster]

It's just a big show. We all know that. No money for blowing up the place which is already rendered useless.

[gaijin]

Numerous other research and fabrication sites, still.

And this one was useless, so this is pure symbolism.

He stood only to gain by doing this.

[bert]

I believe the actual truth is that the tunnels providing access to the collapsed test site mountain were destroyed. The area was contaminated and unusable and the tunnels had no value.

[Sacajaweau]

I'm pretty sure we have intelligence "someplace" in North Korea.

Probably entering into intelligence period not seen since .............??

[Tac Double Tap]

On site U.S. led inspections of every square inch of North Korea. Nothing less!

[nuconvert]

“destroyed its only known nuclear test site”

Known to the writer & general public maybe

[mountainlion]

already rendered useless. ...

I suppose it is to radio active to use anyway. Maybe the nuke problem did blow up in their face killing 300 people as the conspiracy theory said.

[Sacajaweau]

A loud explosion...so now they have no possibility of nukes...right??

Mayb e look behind curtain No. 2.

And Madeline danced all night with old man Kim.

[TXnMA]

The last test shot fractured and collapsed a “chimney” to the top of mount Mantap, so that any future test under it would have been guaranteed to “vent” radioactive gases and particles.

Not only would that annoy the big neighbors, it would yield up a treasure trove of intel to countries with the means and technology to sample and analyze the effluent...

[DoodleDawg]

Sure they did. If you believe that I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you.

[DoodleDawg]

North Korea destroyed its only known nuclear test site...

The key word in that being "known". If memory serves this is the site that collapsed months ago from too many tests so it was worthless to North Korea anyway. Does anyone really believe they don't have another one being prepared if not already up and running?

[Amish with an attitude]

NK can be trusted no further than Iran.

[libertylover]

Politically, Mr Trump has invested heavily in the success of the planned summit,

I don't see that. I can't see someone saying, "Yeah, well I voted for Trump in 2016 but if he doesn't get this deal with North Korea I'm not voting for him again".

To me, any good deal with North Korea is a HUGE and unexpected bonus.

[Dixie Yooper]

Too much, too little, too late... talks are off. Now go ask China to help you contaminate another mountain.

[libertylover]

Looks like a dog-and-pony show which succeeded in convincing “journalists” that failure now is Trump’s fault.

[KC_Conspirator]

It collapsed months ago. I suspect that we have intel of another operational site.