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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| N Korea 'has extracted plutonium' | N Korea 'has extracted plutonium' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| North Korea has completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract weapons-grade plutonium, according to its official news agency. | North Korea has completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract weapons-grade plutonium, according to its official news agency. |
| The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) added that "notable successes" had now been made in "bolstering North Korea's nuclear deterrent". | |
| The statement comes one day after North Korea said it was ready for talks with the US on its nuclear programme. | The statement comes one day after North Korea said it was ready for talks with the US on its nuclear programme. |
| It also threatened to "go its own way" if Washington refused direct talks. | It also threatened to "go its own way" if Washington refused direct talks. |
| The announcement is the latest move in stop-start attempts by the US and its allies to end North Korea's nuclear programme. | The announcement is the latest move in stop-start attempts by the US and its allies to end North Korea's nuclear programme. |
| Eight thousand spent fuel rods had been reprocessed, KCNA said. Analysts say this is enough plutonium to make at least one atomic bomb. | Eight thousand spent fuel rods had been reprocessed, KCNA said. Analysts say this is enough plutonium to make at least one atomic bomb. |
| North Korea was already believed by some analysts to have enough weapons-grade plutonium for about six bombs, but had none small enough to place on a missile. | North Korea was already believed by some analysts to have enough weapons-grade plutonium for about six bombs, but had none small enough to place on a missile. |
| "Noticeable successes have been made in turning the extracted plutonium weapon-grade for the purpose of bolstering up the nuclear deterrent in the DPRK [North Korea]," said the KCNA statement. | "Noticeable successes have been made in turning the extracted plutonium weapon-grade for the purpose of bolstering up the nuclear deterrent in the DPRK [North Korea]," said the KCNA statement. |