Reporters Skeptical of Dismantlement of North Korea’s Nuclear Test Site

It appears even the South Korean reporters are dubious of the closure of Punggye-ri nuclear test site:

North Korea said it had totally destroyed all tunnels at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, Thursday, but international reporters who witnessed the event said their lack of expertise in nuclear technology meant they couldn’t verify the complete dismantlement.

The group of reporters from South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Russia observed the demolition following a briefing by a deputy director of the North Korean Nuclear Research Institute.

“We had already discarded the first tunnel in the east, after the successful test in 2006. In the second one in the north, the country held five nuclear tests from 2009 to 2017,” the official, who refused to be named, was quoted as saying by the pool reporters.

The research institute officials repeatedly said the third and fourth tunnels, which have not been used, have remained intact despite a series of nuclear tests in the second one. “The third one is the widest. It’s always ready. The fourth was created because a bigger facility was needed,” another official said.

The first explosion at 11 a.m. destroyed the second tunnel. North Korean officials asked photographers and cameramen “Are you ready to shoot?” before a thunderous roar resonated throughout Mount Mantap following a countdown of “three, two, one.”  [Korea Times]

You can read and see more pictures of this dog and pony show at the link.  Interestingly the North Koreans even offered the reporters spring water to drink from the mountain to prove there is no radiation leakage, but offered no proof there was no radiation.