N Korea ‘to stop nuclear testing’

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to shut down the country’s nuclear test site in May and open the process to experts and journalists from South Korea and the US, Seoul’s presidential office said yesterday.

Mr Kim made the comments during his summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday at a border truce village, where he also expressed optimism about his anticipated meeting with Donald Trump, saying the US president will learn he’s “not a person” to fire missiles toward the United States, Mr Moon’s spokesman Yoon Young-chan said.

Mr Moon and Mr Kim during the summit promised to work toward the “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean Peninsula, but made no references to verification or timetables. Seoul had also shuttled between Pyongyang and Washington to set up a potential meeting between Mr Kim and Mr Trump, which is expected next month or early June.

“Once we start talking, the United States will know that I am not a person to launch nuclear weapons at South Korea, the Pacific or the United States,” Mr Yoon quoted Mr Kim as saying.

“If we maintain frequent meetings and build trust with the United States and receive promises for an end to the war and a non-aggression treaty, then why would be need to live in difficulty by keeping our nuclear weapons?,” Mr Yoon quoted Mr Kim as saying.

North Korea this month announced it has suspended all tests of nuclear devices and intercontinental ballistic missiles and plans to close its nuclear testing ground.

Mr Kim reacted to scepticism that the North would only be closing down the northernmost test tunnel at the site in Punggye-ri, which some analysts say became too unstable to conduct further

ONCE WE START TALKING, THE UNITED STATES WILL KNOW THAT I AM NOT A PERSON TO LAUNCH NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT SOUTH KOREA, THE PACIFIC OR THE UNITED STATES KIM JONG-UN

underground detonations following the country’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September. In his conversation with Mr Moon, Mr Kim denied that he would be merely clearing out damaged goods, saying that the site also has two new tunnels that are larger than previous testing facilities, Mr Yoon said.

Mr Yoon said Mr Kim also revealed plans to readjust its time zone to match the South’s. In 2015 the North created its own “Pyongyang Time” by setting the clock 30 minutes behind South Korea and Japan.