UN inspectors visit North Korea

27 June 2007

[BBC, Bloomberg, Reuters, 27 June] Afour-person team of inspectors from the UN's International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) has arrived in North Korea to visit the Yongbyonreactor. The team, led by Olli Heinonen, is due to visit Yongbyontomorrow before returning to Pyongyang. It will be the firstinternational monitoring team to be given access to the reactor sinceinspectors were expelled in 2002. The country left the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)shortly afterwards and in 2005 announced that it had nuclear weapons.The Yongbyon reactor has been used to produce plutonium for NorthKorea's weapons program. During six-party talks in February on itsnuclear program, North Korea agreed to close down the Yongbyon reactorand to allow IAEA inspectors to monitor the shutdown. However, thecountry missed a 14 April deadline after delays in retrieving fundspreviously frozen in a Macau bank by the USA for alleged counterfeitingand money laundering. Some $25 million from the Macau account wastransferred to Pyongyang last week. An EU delegation led by AustrianHubert Pirker met with North Korean officials during a 23-26 June visitto Pyongyang. Pirker reported that North Korea is "committed" toscrapping its nuclear program and "positive" about relations with theUSA and the international community. US Assistant Secretary of StateChristopher Hill said that the USA is seeking the closure of theYongbyon reactor by the end of December.

Further information

International Atomic Energy Agency

WNA's Safeguards to prevent nuclear proliferation information paper
WNA's Iraq, North Korea & Iran - Implications for Safeguards information paper

WNN: North Korea get its $25 million
WNN: Yongbyon shutdown deadline 14 April
WNN: North Korea agrees to nuclear disarmament

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