South Korea's top office had an immediate response to the North's announcement late Saturday night and early this Sunday morning.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung is live at the presidential office for us.
Connyoung, how is the top office reacting to this news?

South Korea's Blue House welcomed the North's announcement outlining steps to distmantle its nuclear testing site and confirming that international journalists - as our Oh Jung-hee reported at the top of the newscast - would be invited to watch as its tunnels are blown up.


"We believe it reflects the North's determination to carry out its pledge made at the inter-Korean Summit, not just by words, but by action. We also anticipate it will build more trust between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. ahead of their summit next month.(cut)
We hope the explosive sound of dynamite blasting the Punggyeri tunnel will mark the first salute for a journey toward a nuclear free Korean Peninsula."

Note the Blue House spokesperson's choice of word "nuclear free Korean Peninsula" meaning on both sides of the inter-Korean border, rather than "nuclear free North Korea" -- now, that's in line with U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks at Joint Base Andrews as he greeted ex American prisoners from North Korea -- those remarks had some observers speculating whether there had been a deal between Pyongyang and Washington of the U.S. forces removing its nuclear umbrella from South Korea if North Korea took steps towards complete denuclearization.

That's something we would have to keep a close eye on when Presidents Moon and Trump meet in Washington on the 22nd.

Connyoung, now do we know whether South Korea's top office was given heads up by the North prior to this announcement made by its state TV?

Well, a key Blue House official speaking on anonymity did say he had a feeling Seoul was given a heads up at the highest level by Pyongyang right before the announcement... and when I spoke to a senior Blue House official last night he said there had been an understanding that the North would keep its promise of carrying out the public dismantlement ceremony before the month is over.
Now, I'd like to pick up on Junghee's point from our previous report.
Yes, when we look at the list of invitees to the ceremony released by North Korea, two noticeable factors: absence of journalists from Japan - that's something the senior Blue House official I spoke to also pointed out and we both agreed that it's something we should be on the watch out for as we will see some communication at higher-level regarding this; another lack of experts. That's very worrisome as experts have numerously pointed out the importance of pre AND post inspection.
The Blue House said it's trying to find out the North's intention itself so we will be watkeeping an eye for that as well, Devin.