There's a debate about the value of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's promise to shut down North Korea's largest nuclear test site as he engages in peace talks with South Korea and President Trump's administration, but a study published in the journal Science on Thursday suggests the Punggye-ri site was largely destroyed after Pyongyang's last nuclear test in September. In the new study, researchers from the U.S., China, Germany, and Singapore created a 3-D model of the site based on space-based radar, and they found that the test tunnels continued caving in for hours and days after the explosion, causing more extensive damage than previously believed.
The damage first discerned at the site, under Mt. Mantap, was "dwarfed" by the subsequent collapses, says Sylvain Barbot, an author of the study from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University and the University of Southern California. "These findings make us infer that a large part of the Punggye-ri test site is inoperable and that further test may require a substantial investment in the construction of another facility elsewhere." Kim told South Korean President Moon Jae-in at this historic summit that two of the site's larger tunnels are still in good condition, Seoul says. Kim is meeting with Trump in Singapore on June 12.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The week's best photosIn Pictures A sea of kites, a game of sand hockey, and more
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thrillerThe Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
-
The Masters: Rory McIlroy finally banishes his demonsIn the Spotlight McIlroy's grand slam triumph will go down as 'one of the greatest and most courageous victories in the history of golf'
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contemptSpeed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cutsSpeed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deporteeSpeed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't lastSpeed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's ShapiroSpeed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia UniversitySpeed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrantSpeed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
-
Two judges bar war-powers deportationsSpeed Read The Trump administration was blocked from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport more alleged Venezuelan gang members
