WEB DESK
South Korea’s Unification Ministry says North Korea is still refusing to accept a list of reporters the South wants to send to the North to cover the shutdown of a nuclear test site.
The ministry said it resubmitted the list on Monday but North Korea rejected it. It was initially submitted and rejected on Friday last week.
Pyongyang has announced that it will dismantle the Punggye-ri test site between Wednesday and Friday this week. It said it will allow Journalists from 5 nations, including South Korea and the United States, to cover the work.
US and other foreign media personnel obtained entry visas at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on Monday. They are expected to fly to Pyongyang on Tuesday.
A US research group says satellite images taken on May 15th show what appears to be a media observation stand near the tunnel at the Punggye-ri test site.
Pyongyang abruptly cancelled inter-Korean talks last week after taking issue with a US-South Korean regular joint military exercise.
The rejection of the list of reporters is believed to be an attempt to put pressure on Seoul. North Korea has recently stepped up its criticism of the South.
