North Korea has expressed intent to join international efforts on fully banning nuclear tests.  

North Korea’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Han Tae-song said Tuesday that his country will join international disarmament efforts for a total ban on nuclear tests, during the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. 

It marks the first time for the reclusive state to express willingness to be part of the international community’s efforts to ban comprehensive nuclear tests. 

Some observers believe that Han's remark suggests that the North offered to be part of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty(CTBT) ahead of its summit with the U.S. slated for next month. 

The CTBT is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear tests, for both civilian and military purposes. 

Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the CTBT Organization had said late last month that the North’s participation in the CTBT and its ratification of the treaty would be a clear step toward irreversible nuclear dismantlement. 

The CTBT was agreed upon in 1996 but has not been effectuated. It was signed by 183 countries and among them, 166 ratified the deal. 

The effectuation requires the ratification of the world's 44 countries that have nuclear capabilities. North Korea, India and Pakistan did not join the CTBT while the U.S., China, Egypt, Iran and Israel signed the agreement but did not ratify it.

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