IAEA concerned about new N. Korean nuclear facilities
Dec. 3, 2010
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed concern Thursday about the alleged new uranium enrichment facility and construction of a light-water reactor in North Korea.
''It was with great concern that I learned of recent reports about a new uranium enrichment facility, as well as the construction of a light-water reactor, in the DPRK,'' Yukiya Amano said in his opening statement at the beginning of a two-day IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna.
DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Glyn Davies, U.S. ambassador to the IAEA, said that the recent developments increase concerns about the country's nuclear program and ''the threat it poses to international peace and security.''
He also said that the United States believes that North Korea started to pursue enrichment of uranium earlier than April 2009, as the country claims.
''If so, there is a clear likelihood that the DPRK has built other uranium enrichment-related facilities in its territory,'' Davies said.
Earlier this week, North Korea's official media confirmed the ongoing construction of a light-water reactor and the operation of a uranium enrichment plant equipped with ''thousands'' of centrifuges in the reclusive country.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Dec. 2, 2010)
''It was with great concern that I learned of recent reports about a new uranium enrichment facility, as well as the construction of a light-water reactor, in the DPRK,'' Yukiya Amano said in his opening statement at the beginning of a two-day IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna.
DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Glyn Davies, U.S. ambassador to the IAEA, said that the recent developments increase concerns about the country's nuclear program and ''the threat it poses to international peace and security.''
He also said that the United States believes that North Korea started to pursue enrichment of uranium earlier than April 2009, as the country claims.
''If so, there is a clear likelihood that the DPRK has built other uranium enrichment-related facilities in its territory,'' Davies said.
Earlier this week, North Korea's official media confirmed the ongoing construction of a light-water reactor and the operation of a uranium enrichment plant equipped with ''thousands'' of centrifuges in the reclusive country.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Dec. 2, 2010)
