Speculation swirls over Kim Jong-un's "two tunnels" comment
- 6 years ago
With North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announcing that the North will close its nuclear test sites by May,... new questions are swirling around the "two tunnels" mentioned by Kim during last week's summit with President Moon Jae-in.
For more on what those comments might imply, here's Lee Seung-jae.
North Korea has tested six nuclear bombs since 2006.
All of them were conducted at the Punggye-ri test site located in Kilju-gun County.
However, South Korea's Blue House announced Sunday that North Korea has agreed to close the site by May,... and says it may invite international experts to verify that the location has been closed.
The news comes after the historic inter-Korean summit, in which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told South Korean President Moon Jae-in that there's no reason to possess nuclear weapons "if mutual trust with the U.S. is built through frequent meetings from now on, and end to the war and non-aggression are promised."
However, there's international speculation the North has decided to close the site as it has been so badly damaged by nuclear explosions over the years that it can no longer be used.
The North is playing down such speculation with Kim apparently mentioning 'two large, well-tuned tunnels' to President Moon during the summit,... a statement quoted by the Blue House on Sunday.
"Kim Jong-un told President Moon that the North is terminating facilities that no longer function. But he said the North has two more tunnels that are bigger than the regime's existing ones... and they are in good condition."
Kim's remarks have left international experts feeling uneasy as there could be other tunnels that remain undiscovered by spy satellites.
They added the North may even attempt secret tests, since their development of hydrogen bombs isn't complete.
Experts remain skeptical over the North's decision to shut its Punggye-ri test site.
They assess that a seventh nuclear test is possible in order to further increase the regime's bargaining power against the U.S..
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
For more on what those comments might imply, here's Lee Seung-jae.
North Korea has tested six nuclear bombs since 2006.
All of them were conducted at the Punggye-ri test site located in Kilju-gun County.
However, South Korea's Blue House announced Sunday that North Korea has agreed to close the site by May,... and says it may invite international experts to verify that the location has been closed.
The news comes after the historic inter-Korean summit, in which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told South Korean President Moon Jae-in that there's no reason to possess nuclear weapons "if mutual trust with the U.S. is built through frequent meetings from now on, and end to the war and non-aggression are promised."
However, there's international speculation the North has decided to close the site as it has been so badly damaged by nuclear explosions over the years that it can no longer be used.
The North is playing down such speculation with Kim apparently mentioning 'two large, well-tuned tunnels' to President Moon during the summit,... a statement quoted by the Blue House on Sunday.
"Kim Jong-un told President Moon that the North is terminating facilities that no longer function. But he said the North has two more tunnels that are bigger than the regime's existing ones... and they are in good condition."
Kim's remarks have left international experts feeling uneasy as there could be other tunnels that remain undiscovered by spy satellites.
They added the North may even attempt secret tests, since their development of hydrogen bombs isn't complete.
Experts remain skeptical over the North's decision to shut its Punggye-ri test site.
They assess that a seventh nuclear test is possible in order to further increase the regime's bargaining power against the U.S..
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.