Political parties in South Korea have shown mixed reactions to North Korea's decision to stop its testing of nuclear weapons and close its nuclear test site ahead of planned summits with South Korea and the United States.

The liberal ruling Democratic Party welcomed the the announcement from Pyongyang calling it "highly encouraging." 

Spokesman Park Beom-kye said during a briefing that his party greatly welcomes the North's pledge on denuclearization and taking real action ahead of the inter-Korean summit.

He said the move will contribute to the two Koreas reaching an agreement at the summit aimed at peace and co-prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

The spokesman said it is also very encouraging the leaders of the two Koreas have secured trust ahead of the North Korea-U.S. summit.

Meanwhile, the conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party remained skeptical, saying Pyongyang's announcement has little significance and is most likely putting on a show. 

LKP spokesman Choung Tae-ok said it cannot be called progress until the goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization is achieved, pointing out that the North has conducted six nuclear tests and is widely suspected of already possessing nuclear weapons.

Choung cited various precedents, including the time North Korea blew up a cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear test site in 2008, only to discard its nuclear dismantlement pledge later.     

The minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace and the Justice Party, on the other hand, welcomed North Korea's latest announcement. 

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