[Courtesy of 38North]
SEOUL -- The dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear test site has been well underway, but tunnel entrances and some buildings were left intact apparently for a showcase event ahead of a historic summit with the United States, according to 38 North, the website of a U.S. research institute.
Satellite imagery from May 7 provided the "first definitive" evidence that dismantlement at the North's Punggye-ri test site near the border with China was already well underway, 38 North said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to shut down the test site at his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27. Pyongyang promised to invite foreign journalists who would witness dismantlement between May 23 and 25.
38 North said that some rails for mining carts, which had led from tunnels to spoil piles, have apparently been removed, with several key operational support buildings being razed.
However, "other more substantial buildings" remain intact, including the two largest buildings at the command center and the main administrative support area, the website said. "Moreover, no tunnel entrances appear to have yet been permanently closed," it said, adding that this may be because North Korea said the site's final dismantlement would be witnessed by foreign journalists.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
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