ROK alleges N. Korea of restoring facilities at destroyed Yongbyon nuclear reactor
October 6th, 2010 - 6:08 pm ICT by ANIPyongyang, Oct 6 (ANI): South Korea’s defence ministry has alleged that North Korea is restoring facilities at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which was destroyed in 2008 as part of an agreement made during now-stalled negotiations over the North’s nuclear program.
“The DRPK is restoring nuclear facilities and continuing maintenance activities at Yongbyon. It is engaged in new construction and large-scale excavation,” a spokesman quoted Defence Minister Kim Tae-young as telling parliament.
According to China Daily, the ROK foreign ministry said that Seoul is closely monitoring the work.
“There are some activities going on but we have no information on what these are for. The government is watching closely the activities there and exchanging information with other countries,” the defence ministry spokesman, Kim Young-sun, said.
Earlier, an image taken last week by DigitalGlobe, a U.S.-based commercial satellite firm, had shown new construction or excavation activity in an area surrounding a destroyed cooling tower at the Yongbyon site.
According to a report by the Institute for Science and International Security, the photograph shows heavy machinery tracks, trucks, and heavy construction or excavation equipment, along with two small new buildings.
According to the Washington Post, although David Albright, who wrote the report, said that the activities are still unclear, he added that it could be an indication that North Korea is moving toward re-opening Yongbyon as part of a plan to increase its stock of plutonium, now estimated at just less than 80 pounds. (ANI)
- 'North Korea may conduct 3rd nuke test in 2011' - Dec 24, 2010
- Navy ship sinking might affect six-party talks: South Korea - Apr 30, 2010
- South says North Korea ready to carry out nuclear test - Apr 24, 2012
- S. Korean defence minister resigns over slow response to N. Korean shelling of island - Nov 26, 2010
- North Korea almost finished rebuilding nuclear facility: Report - Oct 06, 2009
- Kim's son behind attack on South Korea to 'mobilise military and consolidate his power' - Nov 24, 2010
- South Korea, US planning talks over North's nuclear threat to region - Feb 18, 2011
- US-South Korean military drills violate sovereignty: N.Korea - Jul 23, 2010
- North Korea plans heir apparent Kim Jong-un military parade - Oct 04, 2010
- North Korea starts reprocessing nuclear fuel - Apr 25, 2009
- South Korea says sea mine may have caused ship explosion - Mar 29, 2010
- North Korea could make two nuclear bombs per year, warns scientist - Nov 24, 2010
- U.S.-Korean joint military drill announced during Antony's Seoul visit - Sep 03, 2010
- China wants early resumption of Six-Party Talks to tackle N Korea's nuke enrichment - Nov 24, 2010
- North Korea to suspend nuclear activity - Mar 01, 2012
Tags: china daily, commercial satellite, cooling tower, david albright, defence minister, defence ministry spokesman, drpk, excavation equipment, heavy construction, heavy machinery, kim young, maintenance activities, new buildings, north korea, nuclear facilities, nuclear program, nuclear reactor, report said that, south korea, washington post