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• Yongbyon

• North Korea 'restoring' reactor, says official

  [Associated Press, 19 September] North Korea is preparing to restore its Yongbyon nuclear reactor because the USA has failed to fulfill its part of an international disarmament deal by removing the country from a terrorism blacklist, a Pyongyang official has said. Under a 2007 agreement - involving North and South Korea, the USA, China, Russia and Japan - North Korea agreed to disable its nuclear program in exchange for diplomatic concessions and energy aid. North Korea began dismantling the Yongbyon complex in 2007 and the process was 90% complete, with eight of the 11 key steps carried out "perfectly and flawlessly," foreign ministry deputy director general Hyun said. The plant's cooling tower was even demolished in a TV spectacular. Hyun said, "We are making thorough preparations for restoration." North Korea's official news agency, KCNA, said that the country no longer wanted to be taken off the blacklist. North Korea "will go its own way," it added. Some observers say North Korea is simply moving old components around to send a message to Washington and it is thought impossible to restart Yongbyon with no cooling tower. Posted Sep 19 2008, 12:52 PM by World Nuclear News Filed under: North Korea

• 'Principles' agreed for North Korean verification

  [Bloomberg, 11 July] The USA, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia have agreed on "principles" needed to verify North Korea's list of nuclear materials and programs, according to the chief US envoy, assistant secretary of state Christopher Hill. He said that officials will begin to determine the specifics of how, for example, to check the accuracy of documents submitted by North Korea, set up reactor site visits and conduct interviews with scientists. "Those are examples of the principles, but the key thing will be when the denuclearization working group meets to work out the actual protocol," Hill said. The six-nation talks aim to set a "road map" that will outline how North Korea will dismantle and abandon its nuclear weapons programs, in the third and final phase of the disarmament effort. The latest meetings, which began in Beijing yesterday, follow the recent declaration by North Korea of its nuclear activities and the demolition of the cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear weapons complex. Posted Jul 11 2008, 11:42 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: North Korea

• Six-party meeting on North Korea proposed

  [Yonhap, 1 July; Washington Post, 2 July] Following last week's declaration by North Korea of its nuclear activities and the demolition of the cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear weapons complex, China has reportedly called for the next round of talks between itself and Japan, Russia, the USA, and North and South Korea. "China formally proposed that a new round of six-party talks be convened in the latter half of next week," a source in Seoul told the Yonhap news agency. He added, "The South Korean side received the notification on late Monday." North Korea's documentation will be examined by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the other members of the Six Parties ahead of a new round of talks. In response to North Korea's moves, the USA has made political concessions, but remains guarded on the future of the long-running process. Kyodo News quoted US envoy Christopher Hill as saying, "The first issue that we need to work out... is the issue of verification." The USA still has concerns regarding North Korea's uranium enrichment activities and possible proliferation to Syria. North Korea reportedly sent a private message to Washington acknowledging such concerns just days before its declaration was submitted. Posted Jul 02 2008, 11:53 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: North Korea

• Yongbyon cooling tower demolished

  North Korea has made a declaration on its nuclear activities and demolished a cooling tower. The USA has made political concessions in return, but remains guarded on the future of the long-running process. Posted Jun 30 2008, 10:49 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: Yongbyon, North Korea