South Korean reporters arrive at the Beijing Capital International Airport , Monday . ( News 1 - Joint Press Corps ) North Korea ’ s dismantling of its major nuclear test site will likely go ahead as planned this week , but it was unclear as of Monday evening whether South Korean reporters would be able to cover the event . North Korea declined to accept a list of South Korean journalists assigned to cover the dismantling of the Punggyeri nuclear site , which the North said will happen sometime from Wednesday to Friday , the Unification Ministry said in a regular briefing on Monday .   The Unification Ministry attempted to notify North Korea of the names of the reporters through a hotline at the truce village of Panmunjeom , but the North did not respond , according to the ministry . The hotline was closed at 4 p . m . , with plans to resume its operation on Tuesday .   “ We hope that the event to dismantle the Punggye - ri nuclear site goes as planned without a problem , ” the ministry spokesperson Baik Tae - hyun told reporters at the briefing . Despite uncertainties , reporters from a privately - run news agency News 1 and public broadcaster MBC arrived in Beijing on Monday waiting to get a permission to enter North Korea .   Pyongyang said earlier this month that it would dismantle the nuclear test site in the country ’ s mountainous northeastern region and invite foreign journalists and experts for them to witness the tunnels being collapsed , apparently in an attempt to show its sincerity about denuclearization .    It officially invited a limited number of journalists from five countries – South Korea , the US , China , Russia and the UK . But it is unclear whether the North invited any experts , raising questions over whether the process could properly be assessed .   Reporters from foreign news media outlets covering the event were reportedly instructed to gather at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on Tuesday morning and take a chartered plane to North Korea ’ s Wonsan Kalma Airport . They were reportedly asked to pay $ 10 , 000 per person for the visa . From Wonsan , where a press center will be set up , they will travel to the Punggye - ri site by rail , according to news reports .   There are signs of North Korea preparing to host journalists for the dismantling of the nuclear site . 38 North , a US website monitoring developments in the North , reported that satellite imagery showed the North preparing to build a viewing stand for the visitors near the test site .   The North ’ s move comes after it abruptly canceled high - level talks with the South on Wednesday , denouncing the ongoing joint South Korea - US air combat drills . It also threatened to call off a summit with US President Donald Trump , scheduled for June 12 in Singapore .   The North ’ s shift in tone from monthslong conciliatory gestures has been largely viewed as a tactic to increase its leverage ahead of the high - stakes meeting with the US , as well as an indication of its discomfort about a denuclearization method demanded by Washington .   By Ock Hyun - ju ( laeticia . ock @ heraldcorp . com ) [ 코리아 헤럴드 ] [ K - POP HERALD ] [ 페이스북 ] <ⓒ KoreaHerald ( www . koreaherald . com ) 무단 전재 및 재 배포 금지 >