This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/world/asia/north-korea-threatens-to-restart-nuclear-reactor.html
The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| North Korea Threatens to Restart Nuclear Reactor | North Korea Threatens to Restart Nuclear Reactor |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Tuesday that it will put all its nuclear facilities — including its operational uranium-enrichment program and its reactors mothballed or under construction — to use in expanding its nuclear weapons arsenal, raising the stakes in the escalating standoff with the United States and its allies. | |
| The announcement by the North’s atomic energy agency came two days after the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, called for expanding his country’s nuclear arsenal both in “quality and quantity” during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. | The announcement by the North’s atomic energy agency came two days after the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, called for expanding his country’s nuclear arsenal both in “quality and quantity” during a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. |
| The 5-megawatt graphite-moderated reactor in the North’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, had been the main source of bomb fuel for North Korea until it was shut down under a short-lived nuclear disarmament deal with Washington in 2007. North Korean engineers were believed to have extracted enough plutonium for at least half a dozen bombs from the spent fuel unloaded from the reactor. | The 5-megawatt graphite-moderated reactor in the North’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, had been the main source of bomb fuel for North Korea until it was shut down under a short-lived nuclear disarmament deal with Washington in 2007. North Korean engineers were believed to have extracted enough plutonium for at least half a dozen bombs from the spent fuel unloaded from the reactor. |
| The restarting of the reactor would revive that source of plutoniuim. It would also give Pyongyang a key tool of leverage to deal with the United States, since the North would now have two sources of fuel for atomic bombs: plutonium and its declared uranium-enrichment program, which has added to growing concern over the North’s nuclear weapons program. | The restarting of the reactor would revive that source of plutoniuim. It would also give Pyongyang a key tool of leverage to deal with the United States, since the North would now have two sources of fuel for atomic bombs: plutonium and its declared uranium-enrichment program, which has added to growing concern over the North’s nuclear weapons program. |
| North Korea demolished the cooling tower of the old Soviet-era reactor in 2008 to demonstrate its commitment to the 2007 deal. In return, the U.S. State Department removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. | North Korea demolished the cooling tower of the old Soviet-era reactor in 2008 to demonstrate its commitment to the 2007 deal. In return, the U.S. State Department removed North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. |
| The deal, however, quickly unraveled over differences in nuclear inspections between Washington and Pyongyang, and North Korea has since said it was making preparations to restart the reactor. In 2010, North Korea also showed a visiting American scholar a brand-new uranium enrichment plant in Yongbyon, which experts believe is only part of a bigger, hidden uranium program. | The deal, however, quickly unraveled over differences in nuclear inspections between Washington and Pyongyang, and North Korea has since said it was making preparations to restart the reactor. In 2010, North Korea also showed a visiting American scholar a brand-new uranium enrichment plant in Yongbyon, which experts believe is only part of a bigger, hidden uranium program. |
| Although North Korea said it was enriching uranium for nuclear energy, Washington feared the North's uranium enrichment program would provide Pyongyang with a new harder-to-monitor and more sustainable means source of nuclear bomb fuel than the highly visible nuclear reactor. | Although North Korea said it was enriching uranium for nuclear energy, Washington feared the North's uranium enrichment program would provide Pyongyang with a new harder-to-monitor and more sustainable means source of nuclear bomb fuel than the highly visible nuclear reactor. |
| The North’s latest move marked the latest in a series of strident announcements from Pyongyang, which has been angered by efforts from the United States and its allies to use sanctions to rein in its nuclear and missile ambitions. | The North’s latest move marked the latest in a series of strident announcements from Pyongyang, which has been angered by efforts from the United States and its allies to use sanctions to rein in its nuclear and missile ambitions. |
| Despite a drumbeat of increasingly bellicose threats from North Korea, the White House said on Monday that there was no evidence that the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, was mobilizing troops or other military forces for any imminent attack. | Despite a drumbeat of increasingly bellicose threats from North Korea, the White House said on Monday that there was no evidence that the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, was mobilizing troops or other military forces for any imminent attack. |
| Though American officials said they remained concerned about the invective flowing from North Korea, the Obama administration took pains Monday to emphasize the “disconnect” between Mr. Kim’s “rhetoric and action.” | Though American officials said they remained concerned about the invective flowing from North Korea, the Obama administration took pains Monday to emphasize the “disconnect” between Mr. Kim’s “rhetoric and action.” |
| The White House’s strategy, officials said, was calculated to ease tensions after a fraught few days in which Mr. Kim threatened to rain missiles on the American mainland, the United States responded by flying nuclear-capable bombers over the Korean Peninsula and President Park Guen-hye of South Korea ordered military commanders to carry out a swift and strong response to any provocation. | The White House’s strategy, officials said, was calculated to ease tensions after a fraught few days in which Mr. Kim threatened to rain missiles on the American mainland, the United States responded by flying nuclear-capable bombers over the Korean Peninsula and President Park Guen-hye of South Korea ordered military commanders to carry out a swift and strong response to any provocation. |
| “We are not seeing changes to the North Korean military posture such as large-scale mobilizations or positioning of forces,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary. “What that disconnect between rhetoric and action means, I’ll leave to the analysts to judge.” | “We are not seeing changes to the North Korean military posture such as large-scale mobilizations or positioning of forces,” said Jay Carney, the White House press secretary. “What that disconnect between rhetoric and action means, I’ll leave to the analysts to judge.” |
| Even as the White House tried to tamp down the tensions, the Pentagon said it had moved a Navy missile-defense ship from its home port in Japan to waters closer to the Korean Peninsula, in what was described as a carefully calibrated response, given the North’s warnings about putting its rockets on a higher stage of alert. | Even as the White House tried to tamp down the tensions, the Pentagon said it had moved a Navy missile-defense ship from its home port in Japan to waters closer to the Korean Peninsula, in what was described as a carefully calibrated response, given the North’s warnings about putting its rockets on a higher stage of alert. |
| The deployment came after the United States publicized a rare training flight by two B-2 bombers over South Korea, where they carried out a mock bombing run, and pledged to spend $1 billion to expand ballistic missile-defense systems along the Pacific Coast. | The deployment came after the United States publicized a rare training flight by two B-2 bombers over South Korea, where they carried out a mock bombing run, and pledged to spend $1 billion to expand ballistic missile-defense systems along the Pacific Coast. |
| Having taken these unusually public steps to demonstrate its commitment to defend itself and protect South Korea and Japan, the Obama administration appeared to be trying to defuse a situation that many analysts say has gone beyond previous cycles of provocation by North Korea, and raised genuine fears of war. | Having taken these unusually public steps to demonstrate its commitment to defend itself and protect South Korea and Japan, the Obama administration appeared to be trying to defuse a situation that many analysts say has gone beyond previous cycles of provocation by North Korea, and raised genuine fears of war. |
| “It is a calculated response to say, ‘We don’t want anyone to think the situation is getting out of control, that the ladder of escalation is going to end in a full-scale conflict,'” said Jeffrey A. Bader, who worked on North Korea policy for the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011. | “It is a calculated response to say, ‘We don’t want anyone to think the situation is getting out of control, that the ladder of escalation is going to end in a full-scale conflict,'” said Jeffrey A. Bader, who worked on North Korea policy for the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011. |
| For all the uncertainty surrounding the young ruler of North Korea, Mr. Bader said, the latest round of warlike statements from the North recalled the theatrical belligerence shown by Mr. Kim ‘s father, Kim Jong-il. Those episodes often led to hostile acts, but never a wholesale military attack on South Korea. | For all the uncertainty surrounding the young ruler of North Korea, Mr. Bader said, the latest round of warlike statements from the North recalled the theatrical belligerence shown by Mr. Kim ‘s father, Kim Jong-il. Those episodes often led to hostile acts, but never a wholesale military attack on South Korea. |
| Still, on Monday, Ms. Park, South Korea’s new president, ordered her country’s military to deliver a strong and immediate response to any North Korean provocation, saying she considered the current threats ‘‘very serious.’’ | Still, on Monday, Ms. Park, South Korea’s new president, ordered her country’s military to deliver a strong and immediate response to any North Korean provocation, saying she considered the current threats ‘‘very serious.’’ |
Mark Landler reported from Washington, and Choe Sang-hun from Seoul, South Korea. Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Washington. | Mark Landler reported from Washington, and Choe Sang-hun from Seoul, South Korea. Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Washington. |