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South Korea and the U.S. are expected to temporarily suspend economic and energy aid to the North which they promised if the North disables its nuclear facilities, it emerged Sunday. The South Korean government has decided to postpone sending 1,500 tons of welded steel pipes to the North, which was scheduled for Thursday, and wait to see what the North will do next.
A South Korean government source said, "North Korea is restoring the 5-megawatt atomic reactor and reprocessing facility at Yongbyon after having suspended their disablement. The process is slow, but if it picks up speed, we have no choice but to react."
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Thousands of North Koreans turn colored cards to form the symbol for the atom as gymnasts perform on the field below during a "mass games" performance at a stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea last Friday. The section of the performance highlighted various forms of technology and science. North Korea has confirmed that it is making "thorough preparations" to restart its Yongbyon nuclear facility because the United States has failed to follow through with promised incentives. /AP
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Despite North Korea's decision to suspend disablement, South Korea, the chair of the six-party nuclear economic and energy aid working group, so far seemed bent on continuing energy aid to the North for the time being in order not to make the situation worse.
But a South Korean government official said, "Economic aid is a reward to the North in return for its nuclear disablement. But in a situation where it is backtracking from the deal, the North is surely well aware that we cannot continue aid.Ħħ
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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