North Korea set to start plutonium reprocessing
September 24th, 2008 - 7:36 pm ICT by IANSVienna, Sep 24 (DPA) North Korea has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it plans to restart its plutonium reprocessing facility next week, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.Melissa Fleming also said that North Korea had informed the Vienna-based agency that “from here on the IAEA inspectors will have no further access to the reprocessing plant.”
On request from North Korea, IAEA inspectors completed removing seals and cameras Wednesday from the reprocessing facility, which has been used by the secretive communist state to make plutonium for use in nuclear weapons.
IAEA inspectors will remain at the Yongbyon nuclear complex to monitor the freezing of the reactor and other nuclear facilities located there.
Although around 100 seals and 25 cameras were removed, the spent fuel rods from North Korea’s reactor, which will be reprocessed, are still under seal, a diplomat close to the IAEA said.
Pyongyang would have to issue a new request to the UN nuclear agency to unseal this nuclear material, he said.
North Korea agreed with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea to freeze and disable its nuclear facilities in exchange for energy aid and an easing of sanctions.
“North Korean moves to halt and reverse disablement and, most recently, remove IAEA seals and cameras from the reprocessing facility, are unsettling,” US Ambassador Gregory Schulte told the IAEA board of governors.
Pyongyang took its latest steps out of frustration that the US has not removed the country from its list of terrorism sponsors.
Washington insists that the East Asian nation first has to agree to a comprehensive nuclear verification protocol.
- North Korea kicks out IAEA nuclear inspectors - Apr 15, 2009
- North Korea bans IAEA monitors from all nuclear facilities - Oct 09, 2008
- IAEA reinstalls seals and cameras in North Korea - Oct 15, 2008
- IAEA inspectors leave North Korea - Apr 16, 2009
- North Korea readmits IAEA inspectors to nuclear facilities - Oct 14, 2008
- IAEA's top nuclear inspector resigns - Jul 01, 2010
- IAEA has stopped monitoring North Korean nuclear site: Diplomat - Apr 15, 2009
- N. Korea in position to build another nuke bomb - Nov 04, 2009
- North Korea began uranium n-weapons programme in '90s: South Korea - Jan 06, 2010
- North Korea a nuclear power state, says IAEA chief (Lead) - Apr 20, 2009
- North Korea to suspend nuclear activity - Mar 01, 2012
- North Korea almost finished rebuilding nuclear facility: Report - Oct 06, 2009
- North Korea's n-activity suspension modest first step: US (Lead) - Mar 01, 2012
- US confirms N Korea disabling its Yongbyon reactor - Oct 18, 2008
- ROK alleges N. Korea of restoring facilities at destroyed Yongbyon nuclear reactor - Oct 06, 2010
Tags: atomic energy agency, board of governors, china russia, gregory schulte, international atomic energy, international atomic energy agency, international atomic energy agency iaea, melissa fleming, nuclear verification, verification protocol
