Sky News has broadcast live from North Korea ahead of the state's demolition of a nuclear test site.

Asia correspondent Tom Cheshire is one of a small group of foreign journalists who has arrived in the secretive country to witness the dismantling of the Punggye-Ri nuclear test site prior to talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Sky News is the only British broadcaster invited to visit the site.

Reporting live from Wonsan, a port city on North Korea's east coast, Cheshire said the group of journalists would take a 12-hour train ride into the mountains, which would be followed by a four-hour bus journey and a two-hour hike to Punggye-Ri.

Image: The journalists were flown to Wonsan on this small plane operated by Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier. Pic: Tom Cheshire

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He added that the fact North Korea had allowed journalists, not weapons inspectors, to witness the dismantling of the site was significant because of the global publicity.

The Sky News crew had its satellite phone confiscated by North Korean officials as they landed at the "shiny new airport" in Wonsan, which Cheshire said was "more like a resort".

Each news crew has a North Korea minder, with the Sky News one studying international relations at university in the North.

Image: The flight which took eight foreign news crews to Wonsan from Beijing. Pic: Tom Cheshire

Pyongyang invited the journalists to Wonsan to publicise its promise to halt underground tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Cheshire added: "It's crucial that it's journalists going in instead of weapons inspectors.

"But that symbolism is important - especially before that meeting coming up between [South Korean President] Moon and Trump later today.

"The North Koreans are saying 'no more talking, let's see some action' - and that's why we're here.

Image: The journalists arrived in Wonsan on Tuesday. Pic: Tom Cheshire

"Those talks in Washington are crucial.

"The dismantling is supposed to happen between tomorrow and Friday. We'll try and bring you as much as possible - they are keeping very tight controls but we'll show you everything we're able to.

"When you arrive at the airport, everyone is wearing uniforms and looking much like mannequins. You can smell the fresh paint on the walls of our hotel. We have a constant minder.

Image: Tom Cheshire reporting live from Wonsan in North Korea

"We're going to be so far up in the mountains, getting those pictures back will be the most challenging thing.

"We stepped out from this airport and it's eerily quiet."

Cheshire said the newly built airport was part of a push to develop Wonsan for tourism.

"This is a regime that sets great store by symbolism, images, propaganda - everyone here is wearing a badge of the Kim family," he added.

Image: The view of Wonsan from the new airport. Pic: Tom Cheshire

"It's extraordinary to get to an active North Korean nuclear test site.

"The war head that was detected by seismologists back in September shows how much they have developed in recent years.

"It's quite hard to keep a nuclear test secret."

Image: The reporters have been given a press room in a Wonsan hotel they are staying in. Pic: Tom Cheshire

North Korea announced the nuclear site moratorium ahead of the summit between Mr Kim and Mr Trump, scheduled for 12 June in Singapore.

Eight South Korean journalists who applied to visit the Punggye-Ri site were refused access.

It came as Pyongyang refused to respond to Seoul on Monday after cutting off high-level contact with the South to protest against a military exercise with the US which is due to finish on Friday.