Share

North Korea 'already starting' denuclearisation: Trump

North Korea has already begun its denuclearisation, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday, after many observers greeted with scepticism the results of his historic meeting with the North's leader Kim Jong Un.

"They've already blown up one of their big test sites. In fact, it was actually four of their big test sites. And the big thing is, it will be a total denuclearisation, which is already starting," Trump said at a cabinet meeting.

In late May, before the June 12 Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, Pyongyang said it had fully demolished its only known nuclear test site.

Foreign journalists invited to the Punggye-ri test facility in North Hamgyong province described a series of explosions throughout the day, three of them in entry tunnels, followed by blasts that demolished a nearby barracks and other structures.

Punggye-ri has been the staging ground for all six of the North's nuclear tests, including the latest and by far most powerful one in September last year which Pyongyang said was an H-bomb.

Experts are divided over whether the demolition will render the site inoperable. Sceptics say the facility has already outlived its usefulness with six successful nuclear tests and can be quickly rebuilt if needed.

At their summit, Kim and Trump signed a pledge "to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula", a stock phrase favoured by Pyongyang that stopped short of longstanding US demands for North Korea to give up its atomic arsenal in a "verifiable" and "irreversible" way.

The summit pledge was followed by the US military's postponement of major joint exercises with its ally South Korea following a pledge by Trump to halt the drills which have aroused repeated anger in the North.

Trump and Kim also agreed on the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

The president said at the cabinet meeting that "they've already sent back, or are in the process of sending back, the remains".

A US official had said on Tuesday that Pyongyang may soon begin returning remains from among up to 200 sets the North says it has recovered.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
42% - 394 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
58% - 545 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
910.50
+1.5%
Palladium
1,011.50
+1.0%
Gold
2,221.35
+1.2%
Silver
24.87
+0.9%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE