ID :
21888
Mon, 09/29/2008 - 14:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/21888
The shortlink copeid
Dismantling N.K. nuclear facilities meaningless: former NK official
By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea should not be misled by North Korea's "fake gesture" of disabling its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, a former high-ranking North Korean official was quoted as saying Monday.
"The facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex are merely pieces of scrap
metal," Hwang Jang-yop, former secretary of Pyongyang's ruling Workers' Party,
told ruling party lawmakers here, adding "the North has long been in possession
of nuclear arms."
Hwang, 85, defected to the South in 1997 as the highest-ranking North Korean
official ever to come to South Korea. Known to be the key architect of North
Korea's state sponsored "juche" ideology, which emphasizes national
self-reliance, Hwang has been a strong critic of the Pyongyang regime since his
defection.
Backtracking from a 2007 aid-for-denuclearization deal, North Korea last week
notified inspectors of the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it has removed
seals and surveillance equipment from its plutonium processing plant at Yongbyon.
Under the multinational deal struck between the two Koreas, the United States,
Japan, China and Russia, Pyongyang is obligated to dismantle its nuclear programs
in return for one million tons of fuel aid plus other political incentives.
Pyongyang, however, accuses Washington of breaking the deal by not removing the
North from the U.S. terrorism blacklist.
Hwang dismissed the possibility of any significant changes in North Korea's
reclusive regime despite the purported illness of its leader, Kim Jong-il.
"Anyone can govern the regime," he said. "Kim's death will never lead to its
collapse."
Speculation has been swirling since Seoul's intelligence officials reported two
weeks ago that the 66-year-old North Korean leader is recovering from a stroke he
suffered last month. Kim has not been seen in public since Aug. 14.
The outside world has been keenly interested in Kim's health due to his country's
nuclear ambitions. Kim is known to have slightly recovered, but not well enough
to move entirely freely.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea should not be misled by North Korea's "fake gesture" of disabling its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon, a former high-ranking North Korean official was quoted as saying Monday.
"The facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex are merely pieces of scrap
metal," Hwang Jang-yop, former secretary of Pyongyang's ruling Workers' Party,
told ruling party lawmakers here, adding "the North has long been in possession
of nuclear arms."
Hwang, 85, defected to the South in 1997 as the highest-ranking North Korean
official ever to come to South Korea. Known to be the key architect of North
Korea's state sponsored "juche" ideology, which emphasizes national
self-reliance, Hwang has been a strong critic of the Pyongyang regime since his
defection.
Backtracking from a 2007 aid-for-denuclearization deal, North Korea last week
notified inspectors of the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it has removed
seals and surveillance equipment from its plutonium processing plant at Yongbyon.
Under the multinational deal struck between the two Koreas, the United States,
Japan, China and Russia, Pyongyang is obligated to dismantle its nuclear programs
in return for one million tons of fuel aid plus other political incentives.
Pyongyang, however, accuses Washington of breaking the deal by not removing the
North from the U.S. terrorism blacklist.
Hwang dismissed the possibility of any significant changes in North Korea's
reclusive regime despite the purported illness of its leader, Kim Jong-il.
"Anyone can govern the regime," he said. "Kim's death will never lead to its
collapse."
Speculation has been swirling since Seoul's intelligence officials reported two
weeks ago that the 66-year-old North Korean leader is recovering from a stroke he
suffered last month. Kim has not been seen in public since Aug. 14.
The outside world has been keenly interested in Kim's health due to his country's
nuclear ambitions. Kim is known to have slightly recovered, but not well enough
to move entirely freely.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
