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North Korean nuclear experts visit South Korea despite clash
Seoul, July 2: North Korean nuclear engineers arrived in Seoul today to learn about building and operating nuclear facilities, despite heightened tensions after a navy clash.
Seoul, July 2: North Korean nuclear engineers arrived
in Seoul today to learn about building and operating nuclear
facilities, despite heightened tensions after a navy clash.
The 25 North Koreans are on a visit arranged by a US-led
consortium building reactors for the north before the weekend
battle in the yellow sea which left four South Korean sailors
dead, one missing and 19 wounded.
The Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) is building reactors for the North which produce less weapons-grade plutonium than the older reactors that North Korea agreed to freeze in 1994. The engineers will stay at a South Korean training centre in the central city of Daejeon until July 27, a KEDO official in Seoul said. "The trip is part of KEDO's programme to train North Korean engineers under the 1994 accord," he said.
The engineers, who include representatives from the north's state nuclear security supervisory committee, are to inspect South Korea's nuclear power stations, the KEDO official said. Kedo has pledged a training programme for hundreds of North Korean nuclear experts and engineers.
Its $ 4.6 billion project to replace the north's old graphite facilities with light-water reactors was to be completed by 2003. But delays have pushed back the finish until at least 2008.
With its energy crisis worsening, the north has threatened to abandon the 1994 accord that froze its suspected nuclear arms programme, insisting Washington should compensate losses caused by delays in building the new reactors. Bureau Report
The Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) is building reactors for the North which produce less weapons-grade plutonium than the older reactors that North Korea agreed to freeze in 1994. The engineers will stay at a South Korean training centre in the central city of Daejeon until July 27, a KEDO official in Seoul said. "The trip is part of KEDO's programme to train North Korean engineers under the 1994 accord," he said.
The engineers, who include representatives from the north's state nuclear security supervisory committee, are to inspect South Korea's nuclear power stations, the KEDO official said. Kedo has pledged a training programme for hundreds of North Korean nuclear experts and engineers.
Its $ 4.6 billion project to replace the north's old graphite facilities with light-water reactors was to be completed by 2003. But delays have pushed back the finish until at least 2008.
With its energy crisis worsening, the north has threatened to abandon the 1994 accord that froze its suspected nuclear arms programme, insisting Washington should compensate losses caused by delays in building the new reactors. Bureau Report