A U.S. Web site monitoring North Korea says that the North has begun dismantling its Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

38 North said on Monday that commercial satellite imagery from May seventh shows the first definitive evidence that the dismantlement of the test site was already well under way.

It noted that several key operational support buildings, located just outside the North, West and South Portals, have been removed since its last analysis. 

The report said that some of the rails for the mining carts, which had led from the tunnels to their respective spoil piles, have apparently been removed. It added that some carts seem to have been tipped over or disassembled, and several small outbuildings around the site had been removed.

38 North, however, noted that other more substantial buildings around the facility remain intact, and no tunnel entrances appear to have been permanently closed.

It assessed that the North has kept the buildings because the final dismantlement of the nuclear test ground will be witnessed by foreign journalists and involve the collapsing of all of its tunnels with explosions, blocking of entrances, and removing all observation facilities, research buildings and security posts.

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