|
South Korea and the United States are avoiding overreacting to Pyongyang's claim on Tuesday that it halted disablement of the Yongbyon reactor in mid- August.
The South Korean government urged Pyongyang to resume denuclearization, with the Foreign Ministry emphasizing that it had delivered energy aid as promised.
The Unification Ministry says the North's move will not affect Seoul's decision to send more food aid, as requested by the United Nations.
Pyongyang says that Washington has not held up its end of a deal to remove the North from its list of terrorism sponsors.
North Korea declared its nuclear inventory in June, after which U.S. President George W. Bush said he would take the North off the list while insisting on verification.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, "We made clear at the six-party ministerial talks, that we were awaiting a verification mechanism that could assure the accuracy of the statements that North Korea made in its declaration."
She also said the U.S. and Pyongyang are having talks, the results of which will come out in coming weeks.
Some North Korea experts say it might be necessary for the U.S. to tone down its demands.
But analysts advise caution. By announcing the decision at the beginning of the Democratic Party Convention in the U.S., Pyongyang could be trying to take advantage of American politics, knowing the Republican administration needs positive results regarding North Korea¡¯s nuclear situation.
Arirang News
|
