ID :
24383
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24383
The shortlink copeid
Seoul calm on N. Korea's resumption of nuclear disablement
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea responded calmly to the U.N. nuclear watchdog's announcement that North Korea would resume disabling its nuclear plant on Tuesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement released to its
member states on Monday that North Korea would restart the dismantlement of its
Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Tuesday after it reached a deal with Washington to
salvage the crumbling six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
"North Korea did what it promised to do... We don't react to every
denuclearization step taken by the country," a South Korean Foreign Ministry
official said, requesting anonymity.
He declined to comment further, reaffirming Seoul's position of maintaining a
"calm response" to fluctuations in the six-nation disarmament-for-aid talks.
Pyongyang said on Sunday it would resume disabling its Yongbyon plant and allow
international monitors back to the site after the United States announced a
decision to remove it from a list of state supporters of terrorism.
North Korea had recently taken steps to restore the partially disabled facilities
and barred inspectors from visting the site in protest over Washington's delay in
removing it from the terrorism blacklist.
The U.S. State Department announced on Saturday that it had delisted North Korea
after Pyongyang agreed to a plan to verify a nuclear declaration submitted in
June as part of the deal with the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
In the IAEA statement, Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the U.N. nuclear
watchdog, said North Korea had readmitted U.N. inspectors to the 5 megawatt
reactor, the nuclear fuel production facility and a reprocessing plant that
together had been producing weapons-grade plutonium.
"Agency inspectors were also informed today that, as of tomorrow, 14 October,
core discharge activities at the reactor would be resumed, monitored by Agency
inspectors," she said.
"(Our) inspectors will also now be permitted to re-apply containment and
surveillance measures at the reprocessing facility," the spokeswoman said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement released to its
member states on Monday that North Korea would restart the dismantlement of its
Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Tuesday after it reached a deal with Washington to
salvage the crumbling six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
"North Korea did what it promised to do... We don't react to every
denuclearization step taken by the country," a South Korean Foreign Ministry
official said, requesting anonymity.
He declined to comment further, reaffirming Seoul's position of maintaining a
"calm response" to fluctuations in the six-nation disarmament-for-aid talks.
Pyongyang said on Sunday it would resume disabling its Yongbyon plant and allow
international monitors back to the site after the United States announced a
decision to remove it from a list of state supporters of terrorism.
North Korea had recently taken steps to restore the partially disabled facilities
and barred inspectors from visting the site in protest over Washington's delay in
removing it from the terrorism blacklist.
The U.S. State Department announced on Saturday that it had delisted North Korea
after Pyongyang agreed to a plan to verify a nuclear declaration submitted in
June as part of the deal with the U.S., South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
In the IAEA statement, Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the U.N. nuclear
watchdog, said North Korea had readmitted U.N. inspectors to the 5 megawatt
reactor, the nuclear fuel production facility and a reprocessing plant that
together had been producing weapons-grade plutonium.
"Agency inspectors were also informed today that, as of tomorrow, 14 October,
core discharge activities at the reactor would be resumed, monitored by Agency
inspectors," she said.
"(Our) inspectors will also now be permitted to re-apply containment and
surveillance measures at the reprocessing facility," the spokeswoman said.
