FROM EIR DAILY ALERT
North Korea Announces a Halt to All Nuclear and Ballistic Tests
April 21, 2018 (EIRNS)—Following a plenary session of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers Party, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced that his country stopped all nuclear and missile tests, reported South Korea’s Yonhap news agency and Russia’s TASS. “Starting from April 21, North Korea stops nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles,” Yonhap quoted a statement carried by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency. “The North will also close the nuclear test site in the north of the country to confirm its obligation to stop nuclear tests.”
According to the statement Kim said:
“Freezing nuclear tests is an important process of the global nuclear disarmament, and North Korea joins the international effort intended to fully stop nuclear tests.
“We will never use nuclear weapons if there is no nuclear threats or provocations against our country. In any case, we will not transfer nuclear weapons or technology [to other states],”
the KCNA statement reads.
“We will focus our efforts on creating a strong socialist economy and on mobilizing people and material resources for a sharp increase in the people’s living standards.
“In order to build a socialist economy, we will create favorable international conditions and activate a close dialogue with the neighboring states and the international community with an aim to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula and on the entire planet.”
In response to the announcement U.S. President Donald Trump called it “good news.”
“North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World—big progress! Look forward to our Summit,”
Trump said in a Twitter post.
China’s Foreign Ministry today issued a statement in praise of Pyongyang’s decision.
“North Korea has decided to stop nuclear and missile tests and focus on economic growth and improving well-being of its people, we welcome this decision,”
