S Korea hails DPRK's discontinuance of nuke, missile tests as 'meaningful progress'

SEOUL - South Korea's presidential Blue House hailed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s announcement of discontinuing nuclear and missile tests as a "meaningful progress."

Yoo Young-chan, senior presidential press secretary, said in a statement that the Blue House welcomed the DPRK's decision to close its nuclear testing facility and discontinue nuclear and missile tests.

He said the DPRK's decision was a meaningful progress toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which the entire world desires.

It would contribute to setting a very positive tone for a success in the upcoming summits of Pyongyang with Seoul and Washington, Yoon noted.

He said South Korea will make best efforts to let the inter-Korean summit become a guidance to denuclearize the peninsula and build a permanent peace.

The statement came after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said at the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that he would discontinue nuclear and missile tests.

The meeting was held Friday and carried early Saturday by the Korean Central News Agency.

Kim's announcement came a week ahead of his first summit meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the border village of Panmunjom.

Kim said all efforts of his country must now concentrate on economic construction to upgrade the people's living standard.

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK said the DPRK's northern nuclear test ground would be dismantled to transparently guarantee the discontinuance of the nuclear test.

The DPRK will never use nuclear weapons nor transfer nuclear weapons or nuclear technology under any circumstances unless there are nuclear threats and nuclear provocations against the country, according to the KCNA.