North Korea invites journalists to witness closure of nuclear sites

North Korea has announced that they will begin an unprecedented, public dismantling of their nuclear test sites, in advance with leader Kim Jong Un’s meeting with President Trump. This was reported by North Korean state media.

According to RT, foreign journalists, including those from China, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and even American journalists will be invited, to cover the historic event.

The closing of the nuclear site in Pukyong, will involve the explosive demolition of the tunnels, along the northeastern testing ground, burying them beneath tons of rubble. Observation posts, research facilities, and ground-based testing units are also slated for removal.

The official announcement from North Korea, formally known as the DPRK, is quoted as follows by Fox News:

“The Nuclear Weapon Institute and other concerned institutions are taking technical measures for dismantling the northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK in order to ensure transparency of discontinuance of the nuclear test.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was also quoted as saying, that North Korea can look forward to, “a future brimming with peace and prosperity”, if it agrees to quickly give up its nuclear weapons.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un revealed his plans to dismantle the sites in his historic summit with South Korean President Moon just last April.

As noted, this will all come in advance with Kim Jong Un’s historic meeting with Donald Trump, the first of its kind between a U.S. President and the Leader of North Korea.

If everything goes as plans, and all parties – especially the US – keep the promises they make, this truly could be the chance for peace to spring in the Korean Penisula. That said, we must not forget that this comes not long after Donald Trump canceled the historic deal with Iran, which remains supported by most of the allies of the US, as well as Russia and China.

CONFIRMED: US to withdraw from Iran nuke deal, impose new sanctions on Tehran

One must seriously question, if a deal is reached with North Korea, will the U.S. keep their end of the deal, or will they arbitrarily say North Korea has violated the agreement, or that it was a bad agreement.

To be fair, this is not to defend North Korea. It is possible they too can violate the deal, but as with Iran, the question will be, what will happen if the rest of the world, including Western/NATO-US allies, South Korea, Russia, and China, feel the deal has not be violated, but the U.S. still pulls out, as with the Iran nuclear deal.

Trump did mention North Korea, saying that he keeps his promises, in his speech withdrawing from the Iran deal. As a result, there seems to be a disconnect as to who is violating what, and who is keeping their promises. Here is everything President Trump said with regards to North Korea in his Iran speech:

Today’s action sends a critical message. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un. Plans are being made, relationships are building. Hopefully, a deal will happen, and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone…

Secretary Pompeo is right now going to North Korea. He will be there very shortly, in a matter of virtual — probably an hour. He’s got meetings set up. We have our meeting scheduled. We have our meeting set. The location is picked. The time and date. Everything is picked. And we look forward to having a very great success. We think relationships are building with North Korea. We’ll see how it all works out. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and the entire world. We hope it all works out. Thank you very much.

Seeing as Trump referenced North Korea, when discussing his ill-advised withdrawal from the Iran deal, it seems he is aware that many may draw the conclusion, that if the U.S. does not apparently keep its promises with Iran, why would it be different with North Korea.

As we all look hopefully towards the idea of peace in the Korean peninsula, this is the main question. It was already recognized by the U.S. and the majority of the world, that a nuclear deal with Iran would lead to peace, and the US withdrew from it.

Now, it seems there is no specific guarantee the U.S. will keep its word, if given to North Korea. All we have as of now, is hope, and the word of both Kim Jung Un, and Donald Trump.

As to hope, I will confess a dream to be hopeful, I honestly did not expect to see this kind of progress, and I am glad that I did.

Now, we can only wait for the summit between Trump and Kim, and see what comes of it. We can hope for the best, everything looks like it’s going to be different this time, like we are finally seeing a new beginning. That statement could be a prophecy of peace, or famous last words. Only time will tell.