World

North Korea's Kim Jong-un agrees to shut missile site

September 19, 2018 4:01 pm

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has agreed to shut one of the country’s main missile testing and launch sites.

He signed a pledge to permanently close the Tongchang-ri facility, after talks in Pyongyang with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in.

Both leaders also “agreed on a way to achieve denuclearisation” on the Korean peninsula, Mr Moon said.

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Mr Kim said he hoped to “visit Seoul in the near future” – he would be the first North Korean leader to do so.

China has welcomed the outcome of the inter-Korean summit, saying both sides had found “new and important common ground”.

What was agreed on denuclearisation?

The main focus of the summit was the issue of denuclearisation. While the US and North Korea agreed in broad terms earlier this year to work towards that goal, negotiations have stalled.

Pyongyang has now sought to reconfirm its commitment.