U.S. contradicts N. Korea over sample taking at nuclear facilities

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States Wednesday denied North Korea's claim that it had never agreed that international inspectors could take samples from its nuclear facilities as part of a verification protocol.

"It was basically agreed that experts could take samples and remove them from the
country for testing," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in a daily news
briefing, citing "the understandings on verification that were issued last month"
after the chief U.S. nuclear envoy's visit to Pyongyang on the issue.
"I'm not able to tell you what the North Koreans are thinking," he said.
Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill visited the North Korean capital
in early October to settle on a verification regime, which Washington said
included "sampling" and "forensic tests" of all of the declared nuclear
facilities to substantiate the nuclear list presented by the North in June.
The U.S. also said Pyongyang had agreed to access to its undeclared sites on
mutual consent.
The agreement ended a months-long stalemate over how to verify the North's
nuclear programs as Washington subsequently lifted the North from its terrorism
blacklist and the North resumed disabling its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon,
north of its capital, Pyongyang.
Earlier Wednesday, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, however,
said it had never agreed on sample taking and access to undeclared sites.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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