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UN confirms N Korea nuclear halt UN confirms N Korea nuclear halt
(about 3 hours later)
United Nations inspectors have verified the shutdown of North Korea's key reactor, the head of the UN nuclear agency has confirmed. UN inspectors have verified the shutdown of North Korea's main nuclear reactor, the head of the International Atomic Energy 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. Mohamed ElBaradei said the process of shutting the Yongbyon reactor was "a good step in the right direction".
On Saturday, North Korea announced that it had shut down the Yongbyon reactor. The move is part of an deal agreed in February, in which Pyongyang pledged to disarm in exchange for fuel aid.
The move came after the arrival of the first shipment of aid promised under a nuclear disarmament deal. Analysts say that while the shutdown is important, it is just one stage in a long process to disable the reactor.
The shut-down is the first stage in disabling North Korea's nuclear programme.
'Important step''Important step'
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. Speaking in the Thai capital, Bangkok, Mr ElBaradei said his 10-man team of experts - who arrived in North Korea on Saturday - had verified an earlier statement from Pyongyang confirming the shutdown.
It's a very important step that we are taking this week, but it's a long way to go Mohamed ElBaradeiIAEA chiefIt'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." "Our inspectors are there. They verified the shutting down of the reactor yesterday," he said.
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".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."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. Under the terms of the disarmament agreement, struck in February after intense negotiations, Pyongyang is to receive 50,000 tons of fuel aid for shutting Yongbyon down, and another 950,000 tons for disabling all its nuclear facilities.
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 crisisN 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. Last week it received its first shipment of fuel aid, and early on Monday a second shipment was dispatched, carrying 7,500 tons of fuel from South Korea's Ulsan port, bound for Nampo in North Korea.
Early on Monday, a second shipment of energy aid was dispatched to North Korea. Talks between representatives from the six countries involved in the deal - North Korea, Japan, China, Russia, the US and South Korea - are to resume this week in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
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. While the news of the shutdown is bound to be welcomed by the delegates at the talks, analysts know there is a long road ahead.
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. In the next phase, North Korea will need to declare all the nuclear material it already has, and confirm whether it has a uranium programme in addition to the plutonium produced at Yongbyon, correspondents say.
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. Persuading North Korea to disable the reactor completely, or give up any nuclear weapons it already has, may prove far more difficult than the initial shutdown, according to 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.