N.K Recently Halted Nuclear Reprocessing

North Korea recently appeared to have halted reprocessing nuclear fuel rods at its Yongbyon complex, North Pyeongan Province, major news agencies reported, citing U.S high-ranking government officials.

Japanese Kyodo News said Friday that U.S. intelligence satellites have failed to capture the steam coming out of the nuclear fuel rods at a Yongbyon complex and the U.S. government has decided that the North stopped operating the nuclear reprocessing facility, citing sources from the U.S. congress. A senior official of the State Department was known to have told this before an unofficial hearing of the Senate.

In addition, Reuters also reported Friday that a U.S. official said there have been no recent reports of krypton gas, a reprocessing byproduct, coming from Yongbyon. U.S officials, however, are unsure of whether North Korea halted reprocessing nuclear fuel rods or moved onto the next nuclear development stage, foreign news agencies said. Some point out that the inactivity of the Yongbyon facility could be aimed at resuming talks with the U.S. or caused by technical problems. Otherwise, the North may simply continue reprocessing fuel rods at other places. U.S officials lately said that higher-density krypton gas was found in another area.

“The official stressed that the apparent decline in activity was not being interpreted by the U.S. government as an indication of any shift in North Korean intentions,” said LA Times Thursday. “They can start and stop fairly easily and the facility could be restarted on short notice,” an official told the newspaper.

“A congressional source said information on North Korea provided by the Bush administration was viewed with suspicion among many on Capitol Hill,” it added.

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