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The United States on Thursday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) not to restart any of its frozen nuclear programs, including a five-megawatt reactor.
"We understand that North Korea is moving new fuel to the five megawatt reactor, in an effort to restart that facility," State Department spokeswoman Barbara Greenberg said.
"Moves to restart facilities would compound North Korea's violations of its international commitments," Greenberg told reporters.
She called on DPRK to immediately allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to replace or restore the seals and cameras damaged at the Yongbyon reactor.
"If North Korea wishes to end its international isolation, it must verifiably eliminate its nuclear weapons programs and immediately comply with all of its obligations," Greenberg said.
DPRK confirmed Sunday that it had "immediately started removing the seals and monitoring cameras from the frozen nuclear facilities for their normal operation to produce electricity."
The decision was made after the United States decided on Nov. 14 to suspend heavy oil supply to the DPRK as a sanction over its uranium enrichment program in violation of the Agreed Framework reached by the two sides in 1994.
Under the Agreed Framework, the DPRK was to stop its nuclear facilities in return for two light water reactors and 500,000 tons of heavy oil a year from the US.
(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2002)
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