Figuring out North Korea′s intention has
always been a tricky task.
Its leader, Kim Jong-un, has said that the
regime will not give up its nuclear ambitions,…
but could that be changing?
A U.S.-based think tank says… activity at
North Korea′s main Yongbyon nuclear complex
has calmed down significantly.
Our Kwon Soa has the details.
Activity at North Korea′s main nuclear site
may have come to a partial or complete halt.
Citing recent satellite imagery, the U.S.-based
Institute for Science and International Security
says a comparison of images made in August
and September with earlier ones, shows a lack
of steam venting from the five-megawatt reactor′s
turbine and a lack of water being discharged
from its cooling system.
The U.S. think tank says the reason for the
shutdown is not clear, but it could be for
refueling or renovation... raising concerns
radioactive plutonium could be extracted during
this process.
"I think we can interpret the shutdown of
this reactor and the recent visit to South
Korea by a North Korean delegation as Pyongyang′s
intention to improve inter-Korean ties.
But, if the shutdown is for the purpose of
extracting plutonium, then it′ll negatively
affect North Korea-U.S. relations and the
resumption of the six-party talks."
Nuclear tests have been conducted using plutonium
produced at the Yongbyon reactor in previous
years,... including North Korea′s most recent
nuclear test in February of last year.
A couple of months after that Pyongyang said
it would restart its aged reactor at the Yongbyon
nuclear complex... amid high regional tensions.
The reactor had been shut down in 2007 under
an aid-for-disarmament accord.
The think tank also reports that activity
has been spotted in other parts of the nuclear
site.
Satellite imagery shows roofs being renovated
at another plant on the south side of the
site, that′s known to store centrifuges,
which are used to enrich uranium.
But the institute added it wasn′t sure whether
the expansion of the centrifuges had been
completed.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
