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N Korea reactor 'shut in weeks' N Korea reactor 'shut in weeks'
(about 3 hours later)
North Korea has agreed to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor within three weeks, US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill has said.North Korea has agreed to shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor within three weeks, US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill has said.
Speaking on arrival at Tokyo airport, Mr Hill told reporters the timeframe began as of Friday.Speaking on arrival at Tokyo airport, Mr Hill told reporters the timeframe began as of Friday.
The envoy made a surprise two-day trip to North Korea earlier this week for talks on its nuclear programme.The envoy made a surprise two-day trip to North Korea earlier this week for talks on its nuclear programme.
Pyongyang agreed in February to shut its reactor, but progress had been held up in a dispute over frozen funds.Pyongyang agreed in February to shut its reactor, but progress had been held up in a dispute over frozen funds.
North Korea said the talks with Mr Hill had been "comprehensive and productive", the official Korean Central News Agency reported.North Korea said the talks with Mr Hill had been "comprehensive and productive", the official Korean Central News Agency reported.
N KOREA NUCLEAR DEAL N Korea to 'shut down and seal' Yongbyon reactor, then disable all nuclear facilitiesIn return, will be given 1m tonnes of heavy fuel oilN Korea to invite IAEA back to monitor dealUnder earlier 2005 deal, N Korea agreed to end nuclear programme and return to non-proliferation treatyN Korea's demand for light water reactor to be discussed at "appropriate time" Q&A: The bank row
The agency said the two sides agreed to resume six-party talks involving North Korea, South Korea, the US, Russia, Japan and China, in July.The agency said the two sides agreed to resume six-party talks involving North Korea, South Korea, the US, Russia, Japan and China, in July.
UN nuclear watchdog inspectors plan to visit North Korea next week for the first time since they were forced out of the country in 2002. Freed funds
Mr Hill said the shutdown would take place after North Korea reached an agreement with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on monitoring the operation.
Inspectors from the IAEA plan to visit North Korea next week for the first time since they were forced out of the country in 2002.
But Mr Hill added that closing the nuclear reactor was just the beginning of the process.
"Shutting down the reactor does not solve all our problems," he said.
Under the February deal, Pyongyang agreed to shut the reactor in return for $25m, frozen for nearly two years, to be sent from a bank in Macau to a North Korean account in Beijing.Under the February deal, Pyongyang agreed to shut the reactor in return for $25m, frozen for nearly two years, to be sent from a bank in Macau to a North Korean account in Beijing.
After an initial delay, the transfer got under way with Russian intervention. After a long delay, Russia agreed to help facilitate the transfer of the funds, which were freed earlier this month.
North Korea was also promised 50,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, to be supplied by the five other countries involved in the nuclear negotiations. North Korea was also promised one million tonnes of heavy fuel oil, to be supplied by the five other countries involved in the nuclear negotiations.