North Korea Says It May Shut Down Nuclear Plant Early

[struckpx]

Source: Reuters

By Jack Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is considering suspending operations at its nuclear facilities as soon as the first shipment of heavy fuel reaches its port under an aid-for- disarmament deal, its Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

Under the February 13 deal, North Korea agreed to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, the source of its weapons-grade plutonium, in return for 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil from South Korea.

South Korea said on Friday that the first shipment of 6,200 tons of oil would set sail on July 12. The voyage to a North Korean port on its northwestern shore is expected to take about two days.

The North Korean official said the five countries that agreed to the deal should begin preparations to provide the remaining 950,000 tons of fuel oil to match the North's actions in disabling the facilities.

"The DPRK is now earnestly examining even the issue of suspending the operation of its nuclear facilities earlier than expected, that is from the moment the first shipment of heavy oil equivalent to one-tenth of the total quantity is made," the spokesman said. His statement was carried by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea is to receive an additional 950,000 tons of oil or other aid of equivalent value if it takes steps to completely disable all its nuclear facilities under the February deal.

"The agreement should be honored not only by the DPRK but by all the countries participating in the six-party talks on the principle action for action," the spokesman said.

Otherwise, he said: "the resumption of its nuclear activity will assume legitimate nature."

South Korea's chief envoy to nuclear talks, Chun Yung-woo, said Seoul was working as fast as it could to deliver the oil.

"We couldn't pull up the date any sooner technically, so that's why it's only being sent on the 12th," Chun said upon arriving from China after meeting the host of the six-way talks, which also involve the United States, Japan and Russia.

China may announce the dates for a fresh round of talks next week, Chun added, saying Seoul preferred discussions on mapping out the next phase of disarming the North to take place after the suspension of the Yongbyon plant.

North Korea declared in 2005 it had nuclear weapons and last year conducted its first nuclear test. Officials in Seoul have said the test was a failure, which probably pushed Pyongyang to quickly agree to the disarmament deal.

Great news. This shows how effective when given the opportunity, Secretary of State Rice and her staff can be. They seriously have worked things out w/ this nation in less than 1/2 a year.

 

[struckpx]

well, i thought this was a good story. of course it is a positive highlight of the world and the us, so it is reluctant to get much response.

 

[A_Wanderer]

The lack of attention is probably a good thing for such diplomacy, it will be interesting to find out what was behind it in 30 years.

 

[struckpx]

The lack of attention is probably a good thing for such diplomacy, it will be interesting to find out what was behind it in 30 years.

wow. is everyone here always thinking about the negatives? do you ever think about the positives? we have a country that is shutting down their nuclear reactor. This is a country that has missiles that can reach far enough to strike our territories, yet we are more worried about what it took to get the diplomacy. well, shame on you. would you rather have had them try and fire one of their rockets at us?

 

[BVS]

well, i thought this was a good story. of course it is a positive highlight of the world and the us, so it is reluctant to get much response.

It was up a whole 13 minutes and you decide to judge...

 

[struckpx]

It was up a whole 13 minutes and you decide to judge...

nice of you to comment on that and not the actual story at hand.

 

[BVS]

They seriously have worked things out w/ this nation in less than 1/2 a year.

You really think we just started trying to work things out 6 months ago?

 

[BVS]

nice of you to comment on that and not the actual story at hand.

Nice of you to judge us all and "shame" us...

Thanks, it was real classy.

Now what could have been a good thread isn't...

 

[struckpx]

Re: Re: North Korea Says It May Shut Down Nuclear Plant Early

You really think we just started trying to work things out 6 months ago?

i hope it was later than that. i think this is a great story, one that is hardly even mentioned in the media.

 

[corianderstem]

well, i thought this was a good story. of course it is a positive highlight of the world and the us, so it is reluctant to get much response.

BVS is right. It's ridiculous to assume that because no one has commented in such a short time after posting, that no one cares.

 

[struckpx]

BVS is right. It's ridiculous to assume that because no one has commented in such a short time after posting, that no one cares.

alright, thank you. i over emphasized. can we please comment on the north korea situation and not my eagerness to discuss the topic.

 

[BVS]

Re: Re: Re: North Korea Says It May Shut Down Nuclear Plant Early

i hope it was later than that.

i think this is a great story, one that is hardly even mentioned in the media.

Not sure what media you watch, but I've seen quite a bit on it...

 

[A_Wanderer]

wow. is everyone here always thinking about the negatives? do you ever think about the positives? we have a country that is shutting down their nuclear reactor. This is a country that has missiles that can reach far enough to strike our territories, yet we are more worried about what it took to get the diplomacy. well, shame on you. would you rather have had them try and fire one of their rockets at us?

No, it is calculated risk. The DPRK is for all intensive purposes a slave state, the conditions within are horrendous and it will be a good day when that state goes down. But at the same time the only reason that they pursue a nuclear program is to stay in power by getting concessions. In general communists are not so much concerned about the next life and wont do anything particularly stupid with their nuclear arsenal (of course proliferation of that technology to those that could is a different matter). Dealing with North Korea is served with all interested parties exerting what influence they can, it isn't the same as having Islamic hardliners take over Pakistan or the mullahs in Iran having nuclear weapons.

And it is a damn good question as to what it took for your country to get what it wants. And you really do get to know what went on after a few decades.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Six parties involved in the negotiations, but it was all thanks to Rice. Of course.

All in all it's good news that they suspend the nuclear program. That's always good.
What would be beautiful, is if North Korea used the oil and the money from the unfreezed bank accounts for its people.
Sadly, we won't see this happen.

 

[BVS]

Six parties involved in the negotiations, but it was all thanks to Rice. Of course.

Of course...

 

[A_Wanderer]

Six parties involved in the negotiations, but it was all thanks to Rice. Of course.

All in all it's good news that they suspend the nuclear program. That's always good.
What would be beautiful, is if North Korea used the oil and the money from the unfreezed bank accounts for its people.
Sadly, we won't see this happen.

Oh no but Dear Leader can build a few more statues to Great Leader.

 

[Vincent Vega]

And watch more Hollywood movies in his own cinema hall.

 

[A_Wanderer]

At least we will never have the fun of seeing what goes on in the gulag.