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| North Korea to restart Yongbyon nuclear reactor | North Korea to restart Yongbyon nuclear reactor |
| (7 days later) | |
| North Korea has vowed to restart all mothballed facilities at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, adding to tensions already raised by near-daily warlike threats against the US and South Korea. | North Korea has vowed to restart all mothballed facilities at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, adding to tensions already raised by near-daily warlike threats against the US and South Korea. |
| The reactor was shut down in 2007 as part of international nuclear disarmament talks that have since stalled. | The reactor was shut down in 2007 as part of international nuclear disarmament talks that have since stalled. |
| A spokesman for the department of atomic energy said the facilities to be restarted are a graphite-moderated five-megawatt reactor, which generates spent fuel rods laced with plutonium and is the core of the Yongbyon nuclear complex. | A spokesman for the department of atomic energy said the facilities to be restarted are a graphite-moderated five-megawatt reactor, which generates spent fuel rods laced with plutonium and is the core of the Yongbyon nuclear complex. |
| The reactor, when fully running, is capable of churning out one atomic bomb's worth of plutonium – the most common fuel in nuclear weapons – a year. | The reactor, when fully running, is capable of churning out one atomic bomb's worth of plutonium – the most common fuel in nuclear weapons – a year. |
| The move will increase fears in Washington and among its allies about North Korea's push for nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US, technology it is not believed to have. | The move will increase fears in Washington and among its allies about North Korea's push for nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the US, technology it is not believed to have. |
| Pyongyang conducted its third nuclear test in February, prompting UN sanctions that have infuriated its leaders. The country has since declared that making nuclear arms and a stronger economy are the nation's top priorities. | Pyongyang conducted its third nuclear test in February, prompting UN sanctions that have infuriated its leaders. The country has since declared that making nuclear arms and a stronger economy are the nation's top priorities. |
| North Korea added the five megawatt, graphite-moderated reactor to its nuclear complex in 1986 after seven years of construction. The country began building a 50-megawatt and a 200-megawatt reactor in 1984, but their construction was suspended under a 1994 nuclear deal with Washington. | North Korea added the five megawatt, graphite-moderated reactor to its nuclear complex in 1986 after seven years of construction. The country began building a 50-megawatt and a 200-megawatt reactor in 1984, but their construction was suspended under a 1994 nuclear deal with Washington. |
| North Korea has long said its reactor operation is aimed at generating electricity. It takes about 8,000 fuel rods to run the reactor. Reprocessing the spent fuel rods after a year of reactor operation could yield about 7kg of plutonium, enough to make at least one nuclear bomb, experts say. | North Korea has long said its reactor operation is aimed at generating electricity. It takes about 8,000 fuel rods to run the reactor. Reprocessing the spent fuel rods after a year of reactor operation could yield about 7kg of plutonium, enough to make at least one nuclear bomb, experts say. |
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