Wouldn't it be lovely if we could turn the fallout shelter into a wine cellar instead? One can dream anyway
Kim Jong Un: North Korea no longer needs nuclear tests, state-run media reports
edition.cnn.com/2018/04/20/asia/north-korea-closes-nuclear-site/index.html
North Korea says its quest for nuclear weapons is "complete" and it "no longer needs" to test its weapons capability, a significant development ahead of diplomatic engagement with both South Korea and the United States.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Saturday that "under the proven condition of complete nuclear weapons, we no longer need any nuclear tests, mid-range and intercontinental ballistic rocket tests, and that the nuclear test site in northern area has also completed its mission," as quoted by the state-run KCNA news agency.
The announcement appears to signify a remarkable change in policy for Kim, following a relentless pursuit of nuclear and ballistic weapons as a means to ensure his regime's survival.
It comes just one week before a meeting between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and before a planned historic encounter between Kim and US President Donald Trump -- and just weeks after the North Korean leader met Chinese President Xi Jinping on his first official trip outside his country.
The US and South Korea welcomed the news, which they said was a sign of progress and a promising start to upcoming talks.
"North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site," Trump tweeted. "This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit."
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit.
11:50 PM - Apr 20, 2018
The US President followed up the tweet with another around four hours later, similarly praising the "progess" being made.
Seoul similarly praised the development, with South Korean Presidential Senior Secretary for Public Relations Yoon Young-chan telling journalists it represented "meaningful progress for denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," and said that it would contribute to a "positive environment" for the upcoming talks.
The declaration comes as North Korea continues to make concessions ahead of the talks. Last month Kim told a South Korean delegation that he "understood" the need for joint US-South Korean military drills. Earlier this week he dropped his requirement that US troops leave the Korean peninsula as a precondition for denuclearization.
'New chapter' for North Korea
A North Korea source told CNN that Kim has finally decided to open up a new chapter for his nation. Kim has committed himself to the path of denuclearization and will now focus solely on economic growth and improving the national economy, the source said.
The North Korean leader has realized the best path forward is to normalize relations with other countries, the source added. He is finally being recognized by the international community, and this is a historic, timely opportunity, the source said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cautiously welcomed the development. "The only thing that is important is whether or not it will lead to the completely verified and irreversible abolition of nuclear and missiles," he told reporters. "We would like to keep a close eye on it."
His Defense Minister, Itsunori Onodera, went one step further, saying that the suspension of nuclear and missile tests was "insufficient" and "not satisfactory," as it did not mention Pyongyang's short- and mid-range capabilitiies -- the missiles that can reach Japan.
Beijing welcomed the news and pledged to play a "positive" role in bringing lasting peace to the peninsula.
"Achieving denuclearization and sustainable peace in the region is in the interest of people on the peninsula and in the region, and meets the shared expectation of the international community," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
"We hope all relevant parties will move in the same direction and take concrete actions to work toward sustainable peace and common development in the region. China will continue to play a positive role to this end."
However, analysts stressed caution over Kim's words, noting that Pyongyang was likely to be seeking something in return.
"The announcement is significant, but you know, whether North Korea is truly serious remains to be seen," said Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA North Korea analyst.
"They might be looking for freeze-for-freeze deals. They are looking for sanctions relief. So what are we going to give for this freezing of tests?"
Speaking to CNN, Josh Pollack, senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, said that the news is Kim's way of announcing that his country is a fully paid-up member of the nuclear club.
"They have wanted to be seen as an arrived nuclear power for a while and one thing that the other nuclear powers don't do is test, with the exception of India and Pakistan, no one has done it since World War II, so it's a sign of immaturity to test and they're saying: 'we're technically mature now, so we don't need to (test) anymore.'"
"They're not giving anything up, they're keeping (their weapons) and that's the message. It was wrapped in this seeming concession, but it's not really a concession. (If) they can decide to test after all they can just start doing it again."