‘The mountain did not collapse and there is no evidence that it is unusable’

N Korea nuclear test site collapses beyond use: China study

Experts cast doubt on collapse claims

BEIJING: North Korea’s main nuclear test site has partially collapsed under the stress of multiple explosions, possibly rendering it unsafe for further testing and leaving it vulnerable to radiation leaks, a study by Chinese geologists has shown, reports The Guardian. However, experts have cast doubt on Chinese scientists' claims that North Korea's main underground nuclear test site has been rendered unusable after collapsing due to a massive blast last year.

An English-language abstract by the study authors in another section of the university's website concluded: "The occurrence of the collapse should deem the underground infrastructure beneath mountain Mantap not be used for any future nuclear tests."

But Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies tweeted yesterday: "The mountain did not collapse and there is no evidence that it is unusable."

"I checked an image from @planetlabs dated April 25. The mountain is still there," quipped Lewis.

The findings could cast doubt on North Korea’s sincerity in announcing last weekend that it would stop testing nuclear weapons at the site ahead of Friday’s summit between the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in.

The test site at Punggye-ri, in a mountainous area in North Korea’s north-east, has been the location for all six of the regime’s nuclear tests since 2006.

The findings, by scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China, suggest the partial collapse of the mountain that contains the testing tunnels, as well as the risk of radiation leaks, have potentially rendered the site unusable.

The study was published soon after Kim said his country would stop testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and close down Punggye-ri before his meeting with Moon just south of the countries’ heavily armed border.

The mountain did not collapse and there is no evidence that it is unusable

N Korea nuclear test site collapses beyond use: China study

Experts cast doubt on collapse claims

BEIJING: North Koreas main nuclear test site has partially collapsed under the stress of multiple explosions, possibly rendering it unsafe for further testing and leaving it vulnerable to radiation leaks, a study by Chinese geologists has shown, reports The Guardian. However, experts have cast doubt on Chinese scientists claims that North Koreas main underground nuclear test site has been rendered unusable after collapsing due to a massive blast last year. An English-language abstract by the study authors in another section of the universitys website concluded: The occurrence of the collapse should deem the underground infrastructure beneath mountain Mantap not be used for any future nuclear tests. But Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies tweeted yesterday: The mountain did not collapse and there is no evidence that it is unusable. I checked an image from @planetlabs dated April 25. The mountain is still there, quipped Lewis. The findings could cast doubt on North Koreas sincerity in announcing last weekend that it would stop testing nuclear weapons at the site ahead of Fridays summit between the countrys leader, Kim Jong-un, and the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in. The test site at Punggye-ri, in a mountainous area in North Koreas north-east, has been the location for all six of the regimes nuclear tests since 2006. The findings, by scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China, suggest the partial collapse of the mountain that contains the testing tunnels, as well as the risk of radiation leaks, have potentially rendered the site unusable. The study was published soon after Kim said his country would stop testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and close down Punggye-ri before his meeting with Moon just south of the countries heavily armed border.