Seoul has urged Pyongyang to follow through on its promise to allow South Korean journalists to cover the planned dismantling of North Korea's main nuclear test site. 

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon made the request in an interview with Yonhap News on Monday, saying the North made the promise during last month's inter-Korean summit. 

The minister said the South Korean government is trying to make it happen, and expecting the North to consider the matter again and take positive measures.

Cho pointed out that the dismantling of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site will be a meaningful early step to achieving complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He called on the North to allow South Korean journalists to cover the event not only to improve inter-Korean relations but also to gain support from all Koreans and the international community. 

The minister's remarks come as Pyongyang has been refusing to confirm Seoul's list of South Korean journalists to attend the event in the North after it abruptly cancelled high-ranking inter-Korean talks aimed at following up on the inter-Korean summit. 

Despite the North's lack of response, the eight-member South Korean press corps arrived in Beijing on Monday as scheduled. 

North Korea said earlier this month that it would publicly dismantle its Punggye-ri nuclear test site between May 23th and 25th and invite journalists from the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and Britain to witness the process. The invited reporters were scheduled to gather in Beijing first before heading to the North. 

[Photo : YONHAP News]