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| North Korea nuclear seals removed | North Korea nuclear seals removed |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The UN's atomic watchdog says it has removed seals and surveillance cameras from parts of North Korea's main nuclear complex at Pyongyang's request. | |
| North Korea says the move is part of a plan to reactivate the Yongbyon plant, and that it plans to return nuclear material to the site next week. | North Korea says the move is part of a plan to reactivate the Yongbyon plant, and that it plans to return nuclear material to the site next week. |
| The move comes amid a dispute over an international disarmament-for-aid deal. | The move comes amid a dispute over an international disarmament-for-aid deal. |
| A similar step in 2002 sparked a crisis which eventually resulted in Pyongyang testing a nuclear weapon in 2006. | A similar step in 2002 sparked a crisis which eventually resulted in Pyongyang testing a nuclear weapon in 2006. |
| The removal of seals and cameras "was completed today" at the site, a spokeswoman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. | The removal of seals and cameras "was completed today" at the site, a spokeswoman for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. |
| IAEA inspectors will have no further access to the reprocessing plant, she added. | IAEA inspectors will have no further access to the reprocessing plant, she added. |
| The US said North Korea's decision to exclude UN monitors was "very disappointing" and urged Pyongyang to reconsider the move or face further isolation. | The US said North Korea's decision to exclude UN monitors was "very disappointing" and urged Pyongyang to reconsider the move or face further isolation. |
| "We strongly urge the North to reconsider these steps and come back immediately into compliance with its obligations as outlined in the six-party agreements," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. | "We strongly urge the North to reconsider these steps and come back immediately into compliance with its obligations as outlined in the six-party agreements," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. |
| He said that Washington remained "open to further discussions" with the North on their obligations for denuclearisation. | He said that Washington remained "open to further discussions" with the North on their obligations for denuclearisation. |
| The North has been locked in discussions for years over its nuclear ambitions with five other nations - South Korea, the US, China, Russia and Japan. | The North has been locked in discussions for years over its nuclear ambitions with five other nations - South Korea, the US, China, Russia and Japan. |
| Symbolic gesture | Symbolic gesture |
| Pyongyang began dismantling the reactor, which can be used to make weapons-grade plutonium, last November. | Pyongyang began dismantling the reactor, which can be used to make weapons-grade plutonium, last November. |
| However, on Friday it announced that it was working to reactivate it. | However, on Friday it announced that it was working to reactivate it. |
| North Korea was expecting to be removed from the US terror list after submitting a long-delayed account of its nuclear facilities to the international talks in June, in accordance with the disarmament deal it signed in 2007. | North Korea was expecting to be removed from the US terror list after submitting a long-delayed account of its nuclear facilities to the international talks in June, in accordance with the disarmament deal it signed in 2007. |
| Satellite view of nuclear site | Satellite view of nuclear site |
| It also blew up the main cooling tower at Yongbyon in a symbolic gesture of its commitment to the process. | It also blew up the main cooling tower at Yongbyon in a symbolic gesture of its commitment to the process. |
| However, the US said it would not remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism until procedures by which the North's disarmament would be verified were established. | However, the US said it would not remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism until procedures by which the North's disarmament would be verified were established. |
| North and South Korea have been technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended without a peace treaty. | North and South Korea have been technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended without a peace treaty. |
| Fuel rods | Fuel rods |
| Experts say the Yongbyon plant could take up to a year to bring back into commission, so there will be no new plutonium production for a while. | Experts say the Yongbyon plant could take up to a year to bring back into commission, so there will be no new plutonium production for a while. |
| However, there is plenty already available in the form of the spent fuel rods, taken from the reactor core, but only removed to a water-cooled tank on the site, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul. | However, there is plenty already available in the form of the spent fuel rods, taken from the reactor core, but only removed to a water-cooled tank on the site, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul. |
| It is this nuclear material that will now be introduced into the separate plutonium reprocessing plant, according to the information given to the IAEA. | It is this nuclear material that will now be introduced into the separate plutonium reprocessing plant, according to the information given to the IAEA. |
| Some estimates suggest the fuel rods could yield about 6kg (13lbs) of plutonium within two to three months - enough for one atomic bomb to add to North Korea's existing stockpile. | Some estimates suggest the fuel rods could yield about 6kg (13lbs) of plutonium within two to three months - enough for one atomic bomb to add to North Korea's existing stockpile. |