US Names Nuclear Test Site That Kim Jong Un Had Committed To Destroy

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
missile engine test site that President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had committed to destroy is a major facility in
the western part of the country that has been used for testing engines for long-range missiles, according to a United States official.Trump
told reporters after their June 12 summit that Kim had pledged to dismantle one of his missile installations, which would be North Korea's
most concrete concession at the landmark meeting in Singapore
But the president at the time did not name the site.A United States official on Wednesday identified it as the Sohae Satellite Launching
Ground, saying North Korea "has used this site to test liquid-propellant engines for its long-range ballistic missiles." Pyongyang has said
its missiles can reach the United States."Chairman Kim promised that North Korea would destroy a missile engine test stand soon," the
official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity
There was no immediate word on the exact timetable, and North Korea has not publicly confirmed that Kim made such a commitment.CBS News was
North Korea's most concrete concession at the landmark meeting in Singapore.Although Trump has hailed the Singapore summit as a success,
sceptics have questioned whether he achieved anything, given that Pyongyang, which has rejected unilateral nuclear disarmament, appeared to
make no new tangible commitments in a joint written declaration.The United States -based North Korea monitoring group 38 North said in an
analysis at the end of last week that there had been no sign of any activity towards dismantling Sohae or any other missile test site."The
United States will continue to monitor this site closely as we move forward in our negotiations," the United States official said.What
little is known about the Sohae site, located in Tongchang-ri, has been pieced together from analysts' assessments and the North Korean
state news agency KCNA.It was reported to have been established in 2008 and has research facilities nearby for missile development as well
as a tower that can support ballistic missiles
The site is mainly used to test large Paektusan engines built for long-range missiles such as the Hwasong-15.Ahead of the summit, North
Korea announced the suspension of its testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles and also closed its nuclear bomb test site
United States officials, however, have cautioned that such actions are reversible.Asked on Wednesday whether North Korea has done anything
towards denuclearisation since the summit, United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters: "No, I'm not aware of that
I mean, obviously, it's the very front end of a process
The detailed negotiations have not begun
TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)