( LEAD ) N . Korea stays mum on proposed list of S . Korean journalists to cover nuclear site shutdown ( ATTN : ADDS more info from 5 th para , photo ) SEOUL , May 21 ( Yonhap ) -- North Korea has not accepted South Korea ' s proposed list of journalists chosen to cover a ceremony for the dismantlement of a nuclear test site planned for this week , the unification ministry said Monday . The ministry has tried to convey the list of the reporters selected to cover the shutdown of the Punggye - ri nuclear site through the communication channel at the truce village of Panmunjom , but the North has not responded on the matter , according to ministry spokesman Baik Tae - hyun . North Korea announced on May 12 that it will publicly dismantle the test site located in the country ' s northern region in a ceremony to which media from South Korea , China , Russia , the United States and Britain will be invited to cover . Days later , the North invited four South Korean reporters each from a newswire and a broadcasting company for the event to be held from Wednesday to Friday to dismantle the Punggye - ri site , located in the northeastern region of the North , where the North carried out all six of its nuclear denotation tests . " We hope that the event to dismantle the Punggye - ri nuclear site goes as planned without a problem , " Baik told reporters at a regular press briefing in response to a question about whether South Korean media could be excluded from covering it . The North has ramped up its criticism of South Korea after abruptly canceling high - level talks with the South slated for Wednesday to discuss follow - up measures to the April 27 inter - Korean summit , taking issue with ongoing joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States . The South Korean government expressed regret over the unilateral decision , urging the North to come out for talks as soon as possible to discuss follow - up measures to the April 27 inter - Korean summit agreement . The North doubled down on its criticism , with Ri Son - gwon , the chief of North Korea ' s agency handling affairs with the South , saying Thursday that talks will not happen if Seoul and Washington continue their joint military drills . Experts say the probability remains low that the North will cancel the high - profile event aimed at showcasing the shutdown of the nuclear site to the world altogether as it is seen as a major step toward denuclearization , which will dominate the agenda of its much - anticipated summit with the U . S . next month . 38 North , a U . S . website dedicated to monitoring developments in North Korea , earlier reported that satellite imagery shows that North Korea is preparing to build an observation stand for the dismantling of its nuclear test site . On Sunday , a South Korean source said North Korea has shown signs of repairing and testing the safety of sections of a 270 - kilometer - long railway between the eastern coastal city of Wonsan and Kilju in North Hamgyong Province , where the Punggye - ri site is located . Earlier in the day , some of the South Korea reporters chosen to cover the shutdown left for Beijing to get their visas issued by Pyongyang for their not - yet - authorized trip to the North . South Korean reporters check in at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul on May 21 , 2018 , on their way to Beijing , from where they will travel to North Korea . North Korea said journalists from South Korea , China , Russia , the United States and Britain would be allowed to cover the dismantlement of the North ' s key nuclear test site , scheduled for May 23 - 25 , pending weather conditions , but their visit became uncertain when Pyongyang abruptly canceled talks with Seoul . ( Yonhap ) kokobj @ yna . co . kr ( END )