North Korea said Friday it was undertaking "thorough preparations" to restart its nuclear reactor, accusing the United States of failing to fulfill its obligations under an international disarment-for-aid pact. It was the first time the North has confirmed it has begun reversing what it has done so far to roll back its nuclear program, though it has warned it would do so in anger over Washington's failure to remove it from the U.S. terrorism blacklist.
"We are making through preparation for restoration works" at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, Pyongyang diplomat Hyun Hak Bong told reporters. He did not say when Yongbyon would be operating again.
Hyun spoke to reporters in the border village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone before sitting down for one-day talks Friday with South Korean officials on sending energy aid to the North as part of the six-party disarmament deal. The landmark 2007 pact — made with the United States, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan — called on Pyongyang to disable its nuclear program in a step toward its dismantlement in exchange for the equivalent of 1 million tons of energy aid. North Korea began disabling the complex last year, and the process was 90 percent complete, with eight of 11 key measures carried out "perfectly and flawlessly," Hyun said. The accord ran aground in mid-August when Washington failed to take North Korea off its list of states that sponsor terrorism. The U.S. has refused to change that status until North Korea agrees to an international plan to verify a declaration of its nuclear programs submitted in June. North Korea responded by halting the disabling process and is now "proceeding with works to restore (Yongbyon) to its original status," Hyun told reporters.
South Korean and U.S. officials say it would take at least a year for the North to restart a completely disabled reactor. The latest impasse followed major progress made in late June when the North submitted its long-delayed account of its nuclear activities and destroyed its nuclear cooling tower in a show of its commitment to denuclearization. Hyun warned Washington not to press the verification issue, saying verification was never part of the deal. He said forcing the North to comply with such an inspection would exacerbate tensions. "The issue of verification won't be resolved if (the U.S.) applies a robber-like inspection method in the name of an international standard," he said. The White House had no immediate reaction early Friday. The six-party talks last convened in July, and a new round has not been scheduled amid the standoff between the U.S. and North Korea. Seoul's delegate to Friday's talks reassured Pyongyang that the rest of the energy aid promised to North Korea would be sent to the North.
The tensions come amid reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has suffered a stroke. Kim, 66, has not been seen in public for more than a month, and missed two big public events: a military parade marking North Korea's 60th birthday and Thanksgiving. [End of report]
The fact that North Korea is preparing to restart nuclear facility is very worrying. There were some reports earlier that North Korea has begun to reassemble its main nuclear facility, but it didnt came from any of its officials, but now that it has been confirmed by one of their diplomat, I guess we can say that the reports were indeed true. It is worrying to hear the news because it could jeopardise the six-party deal that was made last year, which as you can read from the report, called on Pyongyang to disable its nuclear program in a step toward its dismantlement in exchange for the equivalent of 1 million tons of energy aid. It wasnt an easy task to achieve that deal and if North Korea somehow manage to restart the Yongbyon reactor, then I think all the hard work that has been done by all the parties involved would be wasted. In short, North Korea wants the U.S. to remove it from the list of terror sponsors but the U.S. instead wants to see North Korea agreeing to a plan to verify an accounting of nuclear programs it submitted in June if it wants to be taken off the list. The North Koreans are saying that verification was never part of the deal. I dont know if this is true though.
I dont particularly trust the North Koreans but I think what they are saying is true. If it is, then I think it was a mistake on the part of the U.S. and the other 4 parties involved in the deal to not include the verification issue. This has definitely put North Korea in a better position to be negotiating because they hold all the playing cards right now. As much as the country needs the aids that it is currently receiving, I think it could still do without it but as far as the other parties is concerned, they would want to see the Koreans honouring the deal which they have all work very hard for to achieve. I dont think having a nuclear North Korea would be a good idea, that is why it is important to ensure that they do not restart the Yongbyon reactor. There have been evidence that shows the North Koreans are trying to assemble the parts of the reactor, and to restart it would be a long process. South Korean and U.S. officials has said it would take at least a year for the North to restart a completely disabled reactor, but still, that is a risk that is not worth taking in my opinion. They have come this far, so why wait another year when things will only get more complicated. But then again, Pyongyang might just be putting up an act to put more pressure on the U.S. to listen to its demands. They might be trying to assemble the reactor, but maybe they dont have any plans to actually start it all over again.
I really hope both the U.S. and North Korea can find a peaceful solution to all the problem. I think it would be a big disappointment if they fail to find any kind of agreement and to see the North Koreans restarting the nuclear reactor. There have been a lot of progress made so far on the issue and for it to end like this would not just be a shame, but it will also mean the world need to worry about the possibility of a nuclear North Korea again. I dont think this will do any good for everyone.
*The report was taken from Associated Press.
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