In response to a suspension in fuel aid, North Korea announced today that it plans to restart a nuclear reactor that has been inactive since at least 1994 when Pyongyang signed the Agreed Framework with the United States (see GSN, Dec. 4).

The Agreed Framework promises fuel aid in exchange for a freeze on suspected North Korean nuclear activities, but international officials suspended fuel shipments in November after the United States alleged that Pyongyang was working to enrich uranium to develop nuclear weapons (see GSN, Nov. 15).

“The prevailing situation compelled the D.P.R.K. government to lift its measure for nuclear freeze taken on the premise that 500,000 tons of heavy oil would be annually supplied to the D.P.R.K. under the D.P.R.K.-U.S. Agreed Framework and immediately resume the operation and construction of its nuclear facilities to generate electricity,” the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency.

The move appears to be an effort to draw the United States back to negotiations, analysts said.  Comments from the ministry might support such a theory.

“Whether the D.P.R.K. refreezes its nuclear facilities or not hinges upon the U.S.,” the ministry statement says (Paul Eckert, Reuters, Dec. 12).

North Korea said that its purpose in restarting its Soviet-era nuclear reactor and resuming construction on several other nuclear projects is to generate much needed power.

“Our country faced an immediate problem in electricity generation because the United States has virtually abandoned its obligations,” the ministry said.

Experts said, however, that technicians could also extract plutonium from the fuel in the reactors (Christopher Torchia, Associated Press, Dec. 12).

International Response

After a national security meeting today, South Korean officials expressed “strong regret and concern about the North’s declaration.”  Pyongyang should abide by its treaty obligations, said South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Sok Dong-yon (Xinhua.net, Dec. 12).

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who was in Beijing today, said that “China shares the same concern,” as the United States on Pyongyang’s announcement.  Armitage said he is “sure the Chinese will be urging some different behavior” from North Korea, but China has released no official statement (Don Kirk, New York Times, Dec. 12).

Japan urged a restrained response, Reuters reported.

“If you read the North Korean announcement carefully, their consistent stance is to seek a peaceful resolution,” Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.

North Korea Blames United States

Pyongyang maintained that it is the United States that violated the Agreed Framework first, adding that U.S. Assistant Secretary Of State James Kelly “arbitrarily made up” a report of contentious negotiations between the two countries (see GSN, Oct. 17).

North Korea has “consistently maintained a position to resolve the nuclear issue in a peaceful manner,” and the United States “abandoned the Agreed Framework,” Pyongyang said (Kirk, New York Times).

“The U.S. cannot escape its responsibility for utterly trampling on the terms and spirit of the Agreed Framework by designating us as an ‘axis of evil’ and target of pre-emptive nuclear attacks,” the Foreign Ministry said (Eckert, Reuters).

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