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WASHINGTON -- Center for International Policy Asia Program director Selig Harrison, back from a recent trip to North Korea, said Friday that North Korea would begin removing fuel rods from its Yongbyon reactor this month, and if it reprocesses those fuel rods, it could double the number of nuclear weapons in North Korea¡¯s possession.
Japan¡¯s Asahi Shimbun reported Sunday quoting U.S. intelligence officials that North Korea shut down a 5,000 kw reactor in Yongbyon in April and could now remove spent fuel rods. The paper said the U.S. would send Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Christopher Hill to Korea, China and Japan to discuss a response. Besides satellite photos, analysis of the temperature of the reactor's concrete wall and the amount of steam emitted from the complex confirmed it was shut down, the daily said.
Harrison, who met with high-ranking North Korean officials while visiting the country from April 5 to April 9, said they told him North Korea was ready to discuss freezing its nuclear program either in the six-party talks or in direct negotiations with the U.S. But he said Pyongyang was not ready to dismantle the program until it has completely normalized relations with Washington.
North Korea reiterated it wanted to negotiate from a position of equality since both it and the U.S. are nuclear powers, Harrison said. Pyongyang wants Washington to dismantle its nuclear weapons deployed in South Korea and the surrounding area.
The director said North Korea was asking the U.S. to respect its sovereignty, be willing to coexist peacefully with the North and not pursue regime change. He said the U.S. should agree to these demands and quickly restart negotiations.
(Heo Yong-beom, heo@chosun.com )
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