SEOUL/TOKYO -- North Korea's announcement Saturday that it would halt nuclear and long-range missile tests surprised many, but North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fell short of committing the rogue state to dismantling its nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
While the announcement raised hope amongst some that North Korea is moving toward denuclearization, experts suggest that the intention of this latest move is to once again gain concessions from South Korea and the U.S. in upcoming summits. They question whether the announcement signals anything more than a repeat of past episodes where the North made promises in exchange for concessions, only to later break those promises.
