- North Korea has announced that it plans to stop conducting nuclear and missile tests, according to the state-run news media.
- The suspension is expected to begin on April 21.
- North and South Korea are set to hold diplomatic talks on April 27.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced the country will stop conducting nuclear and missile tests, according to its state-run news media.
"From April 21, North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles," KCNA said, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap News.
"The North will shut down a nuclear test site in the country's northern side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear test," Yonhap continued.
North Korea further claimed that a nuclear test center "will be discarded in order to ensure the transparency of the suspension of the nuclear test."
However, North Korea's statement falls short of indicating it would scrap its existing missiles or nuclear weapons. Experts weighed in on the North Korea's signal for peace with some skepticism.
"They have reached a point in their development cycle/testing sequence that this is probably technologically true," MIT associate professor Vipin Narang wrote on Twitter. "In fact they told us in November already that they had reached completion of their nuclear deterrent."
"The precise language here is important," Narang continued. "Closing the testing site doesn't preclude atmospheric nuclear tests for example (or other sites). And missile tests could still be conducted under the guise of space launch vehicles."
North Korea had also signaled it would curb its nuclear program by televising the destruction of a water cooling tower at a plutonium extraction facility in 2008, only to announce that it would "readjust and restart" in 2013.
The development comes just days before North and South Korean leaders are scheduled to meet for diplomatic talks on April 27. North Korea has made similar overtures and symbolic gestures ahead of the summit, including reestablishing a dedicated hotline between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim, and agreeing to meet with President Donald Trump for a summit.
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