N. Korean official: Nuke-test site demolition may be possible on Thursday

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WONSAN/SEOUL. KAZINFORM A North Korean official said Wednesday that, weather permitting, the country will soon dismantle its nuclear test facilities.

"If the weather conditions are good tomorrow, (we) can do (the work)," the official told visiting South Korean journalists, Joint Press Corps-Yonhap reports.

The eight reporters and members of television crews, selected for pool coverage of the Punggye-ri event, arrived in the North's eastern city of Wonsan earlier in the day.

The North said in mid-May that it would close all of the underground tunnels and related facilities at the nuclear site in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, by explosion between May 23-25.

Also invited are American, Chinese, Russian and British news outlets.

It has not yet announced the date or a detailed schedule of the planned dismantling.

The foreign visitors left a hotel in Wonsan to board a special train bound for Punggye-ri.

The distance between Wonsan and the Jaedok Station, adjacent to the venue, is known to be about 416 kilometers. Given the North's railway conditions, the train will likely move at a speed of about 35 kph, according to observers here, meaning a 12-hour train journey for the international journalists.

Upon arrival at the station, the journalists are expected to use vehicles to reach the destination, approximately 21km away.

Earlier Wednesday, South Korea sent a government VCN-235 transport aircraft from a military airport just south of Seoul to Wonsan carrying the pool reporters -- four from a newswire and four from a broadcaster.

The jet took the direct route over the East Sea, which was also used by skiers who went to train at the Masikryong resort in January.

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