DPRK announces dismantling of nuclear test site

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced that it will hold a ceremony for the dismantling of its nuclear test site on May 23-25, state media said on Saturday.

"In accordance with the decision of the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the Nuclear Weapon Institute and other concerned institutions are taking technical measures to dismantle the northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK in order to ensure transparency of discontinuance of the nuclear test," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency.

"A ceremony for dismantling the nuclear test ground is now scheduled between May 23 and May 25, depending on weather condition," the statement said.

Pyongyang said it will detonate explosives in all tunnels of the test ground, completely block entrances, remove all observation facilities, research institutes and structures of guard units at the test-facility.

"In parallel with dismantlement of the nuclear test ground, guards and researchers will be withdrawn and the surrounding area of the test ground be completely closed," the statement said.

Foreign journalists will be allowed to conduct on-site coverage, which the Foreign Ministry says will show in a transparent manner.

"In due consideration of small space of the test ground, journalists from other countries will be confined to those from China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Korea," said the statement.

"All international journalists will be provided with (a) charter flight from Beijing to Wonsan," it said.