North Korea’s official state media has announced that as of Saturday, all nuclear and long-range missile testing in the country are being suspended indefinitely. They also announced they will be closing their nuclear testing site.
The decisions were made at a meeting of the nation’s Central Committee, and officials say it marks a broad shift in national focus, toward trying to improve North Korea’s economy. It is also a very helpful move for the peace process.
Earlier this week, South Korea confirmed talks are ongoing with both the US and North Korea on a deal that would end the Korean War. The Korean War began in 1950, and other than an armistice, is still ongoing.
North Korea also told South Korea they are interested in reaching a peninsula-wide denuclearization deal. Nuclear testing had already been seen as effectively on hold, and the new announcement makes that official.
This comes as the summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un approaches. Another summit, expected in late May or early June, is planned between Kim and President Trump. Major deals clearly look to be on the horizon.
The US has openly talked about considering establishing an embassy in Pyongyang, something they’ve never had. North and South Korea also reestablished their bi-national hotline Friday, allowing direct communication between the two leaders.
Punggye-ri is the only nuclear test site in North Korea. The last nuclear test at the site took place in 2017, and was seen as successful. North Korea is believed to have a small nuclear arsenal, but its exact size is subject to debate.
North Korea has always said its nuclear program is meant to deter a US attack. Progress in diplomacy promises to eliminate this concern. North Korea is no longer demanding that the US commit to a military withdrawal from the peninsula as part of a denuclearization deal.
Peace takes a small step forward… time to duck and cover!!!
You know Brockland, I’ve always said something similar… “The more they talk of peace, the closer we are to war.”
Nothing would please more than to be wrong… best-dv
Personally, I hope North Korea renews their demand that we leave. There will never be a true peace with our presence. Anywhere.
Sad but true. My country is just a disappointment to God. A failure.
It won’t be just the North Koreans demanding we leave. Moon Jae-in must be pretty sick of all the “fire and fury” bluster by now, too.
During the press conference of Japanese Prime minister Abe and President Trump the president made a remark about Korea which I found puzzling. It had to do with Japanese women abducted by N(?) Korea. I thought that it had been the Japanese who had once abducted thousands of Korean women to become prostitutes for Japanese soldiers.
Of course it was the Japanese use of “comfort women” from Korea, and of course the Japanese occupation of Korea for so many years, which many North Koreans remember very well, which must make the Koreas wary of Japanese influence.
Why is Kim already willing to give up so much when there is no sign of the USA keeping to any deal? The USA at the least has to make a peace treaty after 65 years and agree not to attack North Korea. Would Kim be wise to believe Donald J Trump’s word if given??
Perhaps he is making a wise choice, basically to ignore the bellicose americans. The US, in the power seat has had innumerable chances to pave the road to peace, yet has failed the moral test over the decades. The US nuclear weapon, and missile “defense” industry doesn’t want NK to denuclearize, bad for buisness. Each nation that shuns nukes puts the spotlight on those that wont.
as long as the US has nukes, and does not abide by either the UN Charter nor any international laws or treaties that does not suit it, I see no reason why north korea should give up it’s deterrent nuclear weapons….
of course stopping testing is one thing, while giving up the deterrent / denuclearization, is another
there is much going on behind the scenes which I obviously don’t know about too….
I think you will find that North Korea will not give up nuclear weapons testing and development unless the US denuclearizes both South Korea and Japan. They are fully cognizant that the US does not a bide by agreements/treaties and it will be difficult for the US to renuclearize both S. Korea and Japan without N. Korea finding out. At the present time however the US does not have weapons sophisticated enough to reach either China nor industial the areas of Russia from the US mainland. Denuclearizing N. Korea does not mean giving up balistic missile testing however which N. Korea I am sure will not agree to.