North Korea confirms shutdown of nuclear facilities

PYONGYANG: North Korea confirmed on Sunday that it had shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facilities after receiving the first shipment of heavy oil from South Korea.

"We have shut down the nuclear facilities at Yongbyon after we received the first shipment of heavy oil Friday," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a spokesman of the foreign ministry.

This is the first official confirmation of the shutdown of Yongbyon nuclear facilities, which came hours after a 10-member team of UN inspectors arrived in Pyongyang to verify and monitor the shutdown and sealing of the facilities.

The heavy oil provided to North Korea is compensation for the shutdown of its Yongbyon nuclear facilities, but not any "beneficent aid". And the activities of UN inspectors in Yongbyon should be defined as "validation and monitoring" but not "inspection", the spokesman said.

North Korea also urged other parties concerned to fulfil their commitments quickly according to the Feb 13 agreement.

"North Korea has done what it should do, now it's the time for other parties to abide by their obligations under Feb 13 agreement," said the spokesman.

At the February six-party talks involving China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, North Korea and the US, Pyongyang pledged to shut down the Yongbyon reactor within 60 days in exchange for 50,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid.

However, the denuclearisation process was held up as the Pyongyang insisted that its $25 million frozen at the Banco Delta Asia in Macao be returned before shutting down the nuclear facilities and reviving negotiations.

North Korea announced later in June that the problem of its frozen fund had been resolved and pledged last Friday to start implementing the Feb 13 agreement as it received the first shipment of heavy oil.