This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6900184.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
UN confirms N Korea nuclear halt UN confirms N Korea nuclear halt
(40 minutes later)
United Nations inspectors have verified the shutdown of North Korea's key reactor, the head of the UN nuclear agency has confirmed.United Nations inspectors have verified the shutdown of North Korea's key reactor, the head of the UN nuclear agency has confirmed.
The process was going well and North Korea was co-operating, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei told journalists in Bangkok.The process was going well and North Korea was co-operating, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei told journalists in Bangkok.
On Saturday, North Korea announced that it had shut down the Yongbyon reactor.On Saturday, North Korea announced that it had shut down the Yongbyon reactor.
The move came after the first shipment of aid promised under a nuclear disarmament deal arrived in the North. The move came after the arrival of the first shipment of aid promised under a nuclear disarmament deal.
Speaking in the Thai capital, Mr ElBaradei said his 10-man team of experts had verified Pyongyang's statement. The shut-down is the first stage in disabling North Korea's nuclear programme.
"Our inspectors are there. They verified the shutting down of the reactor yesterday (Sunday)," he said. "It's a good step in the right direction." 'Important step'
The IAEA team arrived in North Korea on Saturday. In the coming days, they are to decommission and seal equipment at the reactor and plutonium reprocessing plant. Speaking in the Thai capital, Mr ElBaradei said his 10-man team of experts - who arrived in North Korea on Saturday - had verified Pyongyang's statement.
It's a very important step that we are taking this week, but it's a long way to go Mohamed ElBaradeiIAEA chief
"Our inspectors are there. They verified the shutting down of the reactor yesterday," he said. "It's a good step in the right direction."
The IAEA chief said that the next step was to verify the shutdown of other nuclear facilities and then disable them, something he warned would be "a complicated process".
"It's a very important step that we are taking this week, but it's a long way to go," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.
More aidMore aid
North Korea shocked the world with its first nuclear test in October 2006.
N KOREA NUCLEAR DEAL N Korea to "shut down and seal" Yongbyon reactor, then disable all nuclear facilitiesIn return, will be given 1m tons 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: N Korea stand-off Timeline: Nuclear crisis
Intense diplomacy then led to the February deal. Under it, Pyongyang is to receive 50,000 tons of energy aid for shutting Yongbyon down and another 950,000 tons for disabling all its nuclear facilities.
Early on Monday, a second shipment of energy aid was dispatched to North Korea.Early on Monday, a second shipment of energy aid was dispatched to North Korea.
A tanker carrying 7,500 tons of fuel oil left South Korea's Ulsan port bound for Nampo in North Korea, a South Korean official said.A tanker carrying 7,500 tons of fuel oil left South Korea's Ulsan port bound for Nampo in North Korea, a South Korean official said.
Under the deal agreed in February, North Korea is to receive 50,000 tons of energy aid for shutting Yongbyon down and another 950,000 tons for disabling all its nuclear facilities. Talks between representatives from the six countries involved in the deal - North Korea, Japan, China, Russia, the US and South Korea - on the next steps are to take place later this week in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
Representatives from the six countries involved in the deal - North Korea, Japan, China, the US, Russia and South Korea - are to meet for talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, later this week, to discuss further implementation of the deal. In the next phase North Korea will need to declare all the nuclear material it has and clarify its uranium programme, says the BBC's Kevin Kim in Seoul.
But diplomats have said that the closure of the Yongbyon reactor was only the beginning and having North Korea disable the reactor or give up any nuclear weapons it already has may prove more difficult, our correspondent adds.