Long path ahead on N. Korea's nukes

The north's invitation to nuclear inspectors is welcomed, but the US and S. Korea say more steps are needed to comply with February's six-party accord.

from the June 18, 2007 edition

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Tough negotiations expected

Although North Korea may well shut down the reactor, analysts expect the negotiating process to get tougher as the US presses for details on its nuclear program, as called for in the deal. The US will also demand that North Korea get rid of its entire nuclear inventory, including six to 12 nuclear warheads believed to have been made at Yongbyon. "It will take more time to get data about the facilities," says Kim. "How specific the report will be is a question."

Both US and South Korean officials welcomed word of the invitation to the IAEA, though the US chief envoy, Christopher Hill, who touches down this week in Japan, China, and South Korea, says the North must reveal details of its program for building nuclear warheads with highly enriched uranium.

"It's a welcome step," Mr. Hill said during a stop in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. "It's got to be followed by a number of other steps. But it is certainly a step without which we would not be able to make progress."

Hill added that South Korean officials had told him that Seoul was getting ready to send fuel oil to the North as part of the agreement.

N. Korea's 2002 revelation

It was the revelation of the North's program in 2002 that ultimately blew apart the 1994 Geneva agreement, under which North Korea had suspended its program for building nuclear warheads from plutonium at Yongbyon, 60 miles north of Pyongyang. North Korea boasted of having resumed the program after the IAEA inspectors had left, but has repeatedly denied having anything to do with highly enriched uranium.

Mr. Hill, however, said recently that North Korea purchased the centrifuges needed to enrich uranium from Pakistan, and "they've got to abandon the program."

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