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UN inspectors arrive in N Korea N Korea reactor 'to shut in days'
(about 7 hours later)
UN nuclear inspectors have arrived in North Korea's capital to monitor the planned shutdown of its atomic reactor. The US has said the key North Korean nuclear reactor at Yongbyon will close by Monday, as a UN team arrived to oversee the shut-down.
It is the first inspection mission by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in five years. US envoy Christopher Hill said the closure was only the first step of a deal agreed in February but since subjected to numerous delays.
The team's arrival in Pyongyang came as North Korea began unloading the first shipment of fuel oil to be delivered under a key nuclear disarmament accord. Pyongyang has now begun to receive the heavy fuel oil shipments it agreed to take in exchange for the closure.
Under the deal, North Korea is required to close its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon in exchange for fuel supplies. The UN nuclear team is making its first trip to the North in five years.
Better relations Mr Hill, the chief US nuclear envoy, said in Tokyo: "We understood [that Yongbyon would shut down] this weekend, so I don't know whether it's Saturday, Sunday or Monday. I do know it's very soon."
North Korea agreed in February to end its nuclear programme in return for energy aid and better international relations. But he added: "I don't want people to think this shutdown is the biggest and only event. It's just the first step."
The ship - No 9 Han Chang - docked at the North Korean port of Sonbong at 0920 on Saturday (0020 GMT), loaded with 6,200 tons of heavy fuel oil. Mr Hill said he expected a full list of the North's nuclear facilities within months - as agreed in the February deal.
Adel Tolba and his team will monitor the shutdown of Yongbyon Funds wrangle
The oil delivery is the first shipment of the 1m tons of fuel aid that Pyongyang has been promised in return for disarming. The 10-member UN team will verify the shutdown at Yongbyon, 90km (56 miles) north of Pyongyang.
Officials in South Korea have said they expect Pyongyang to live up to its pledge. The UN team's task at Yongbyon may take about three weeks
Fuel shipments made under an earlier deal were suspended five years ago. The International Atomic Energy Agency members are to decommission and seal equipment at the reactor and plutonium reprocessing plant.
Talks to resume It may take the inspection team up to three weeks to complete the task, says the BBC's Kevin Kim in Seoul.
The UN team is expected to head immediately to the Yongbyon facility, some 60 miles (96km) north-east of the capital. In nuclear talks held in Beijing in February, North Korea was promised heavy fuel oil in exchange for the initial nuclear shutdown.
North Korea has agreed to give the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors access to the key sites of the Yongbyon complex, including the five megawatt reactor and the plutonium reprocessing plant. The deal was delayed amid a wrangle over North Korean funds frozen in a Macau bank account.
The head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, has said it will take about a month to complete setting up the monitoring equipment, and that the reactor's shutdown could be done in a few days. But the first shipment of oil has now arrived in North Korea.
The ship - No 9 Han Chang - docked at the North Korean port of Sonbong at 0920 on Saturday (0020 GMT), loaded with 6,200 tonnes of heavy fuel oil.
Talks involving South and North Korea, Russia, Japan, the United States and China are set to resume in Beijing on Wednesday to map out the next stage of disabling the North's nuclear programme.Talks involving South and North Korea, Russia, Japan, the United States and China are set to resume in Beijing on Wednesday to map out the next stage of disabling the North's nuclear programme.
North Korea has warned that the disarmament deal could still be undone by US "threats".
North Korea tested an atomic bomb for the first time last year, and has repeatedly said it needs nuclear weapons to fend off a US attack.North Korea tested an atomic bomb for the first time last year, and has repeatedly said it needs nuclear weapons to fend off a US attack.