[00:00.04]North Korea appears to have started dismantling
[00:05.51]important parts of its main satellite launch center.
[00:11.76]The activity appears to fulfill a promise to United States officials
[00:19.52]by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un.
[00:24.31]Some experts believe North Korea is trying to build trust with the U.S.
[00:33.00]The two sides continue diplomatic talks
[00:36.88]aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
[00:43.02]Other experts say dismantling some parts of the launch area
[00:49.40]will not reduce North Korea's military ability.
[00:54.56]They also worry that the work is being done without verification.
[01:02.04]The website 38 North said satellite pictures from July 20 to 22
[01:11.60]show efforts to dismantle parts of the Sohae launch area.
[01:18.02]The parts include a rocket engine test stand
[01:22.72]used to develop liquid-fuel engines.
[01:27.56]Such engines are used for long-distance missiles and space vehicles.
[01:35.32]A building where space launch vehicles were built
[01:40.08]before being prepared for launch also was taken apart, said 38 North.
[01:48.20]"These facilities are believed to have played an important role
[01:54.60]in the development of technologies for the North's
[01:59.00]intercontinental ballistic missile program," Joseph Bermudez wrote.
[02:06.60]He reported the findings saying that the North Korean efforts
[02:11.52]were an important confidence building act.
[02:15.96]An official from South Korea's presidential office said Tuesday
[02:23.08]that Seoul has also seen the activities at the Sohae launch site.
[02:29.88]Other experts said North Korea is giving up little
[02:35.40]in dismantling the rocket engine test center.
[02:39.99]Adam Mount is an expert at the Federation of American Scientists.
[02:48.00]He said he is worried about North Korea's decision
[02:52.32]to dismantle its facilities without verification.
[02:57.32]Such a step would require international inspectors.
[03:02.32]In May, North Korean officials invited international reporters
[03:08.40]to watch the destruction of tunnels at its nuclear testing area.
[03:14.24]But, they did not invite international experts.
[03:19.68]Mount said in an email that North Korea
[03:23.30]still has not dismantled centers that produce or store
[03:28.24]nuclear or missile systems or transportation for the missiles.
[03:34.84]Lee Choon Geun is a missile expert
[03:38.00]at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute.
[03:44.16]He said the North's action was an important development
[03:48.65]and may lead to more activities at the area.
[03:54.28]Lee said, if North Korea dismantles the entire Sohae launch area,
[04:00.48]it would reduce greatly the country's missile threat.
[04:04.72]He said other centers in North Korea are not as well built.
[04:10.60]But Mount disagrees. He said the threat reduction would be small.
[04:18.12]He added that North Korea has missiles
[04:20.96]that do not require a special launch center.
[04:25.49]After his meeting with Kim in Singapore on June 12,
[04:30.48]Trump said he was told by Kim that the North
[04:34.36]was "already destroying a major missile engine testing" area.
[04:40.44]The two men ended the meeting by saying they both wanted
[04:45.88]a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons.
[04:51.28]But, some experts do not believe Kim will ever give up his nuclear weapons
[04:57.84]because he may see them as the best guarantee of his survival as leader.
[05:05.52]I'm Susan Shand.